Protective bail granted to seven accused in Naqeebullah murder case

ATC has already acquitted 18 accused, including former Malir SSP Rao Anwar, in the case

KARACHI:

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has granted protective bail to seven accused in two cases related to the murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud in an alleged staged police encounter. The ATC has also ordered the copies of the order to be sent to the Sindh IG and the concerned Investigation SSP.

The bail petition of the accused, namely Amanullah Marwat, Gada Hussain, Syed Sadaqat Hussain Hamdani, Riaz Ahmed, Raja Shamim Mukhtar, Mohsin Abbas, and Sheikh Mohammad Shoaib, alias Shoaib Shooter, was taken up by the ATC No 16 inside the Anti-Terrorism Complex in the Karachi Central Jail on Wednesday.

During the proceedings, the counsel for the accused, Advocate Aamir Mansoob, stated that his clients were never informed of their alleged involvement in the cases. He argued that they were never served any warrants, and they were unaware of the alleged crime they were accused of. Advocate Mansoob further pointed out that the accused were employed and received salaries when they were apprehended.

It was revealed that Amanullah Marwat's son, Afnan Marwat, had submitted an application at Shah Latif police station on January 17, 2019, stating that his father had obtained protective bail from the SHC, Hyderabad circuit bench, on January 15, 2019. The lawyer presented a copy of the application in the ATC, and Afnan's statement indicated that his father was allegedly abducted on January 17, 2019, while on his way to meet his lawyer.

The application detailed how a group of masked individuals stopped their car near Gulistan Society and took Amanullah Marwat with them. Advocate Mansoob argued that the petition clearly identified who had taken Amanullah Marwat, and two witnesses from the prosecution stated that he was not present at the scene.

The ATC inquired about the criminal record of the accused, to which Advocate Mansoob responded that none of them had any prior criminal record, except for Shoaib Sheikh, who had already been granted bail. The counsel reiterated that his clients were willing to face trial.

The ATC granted protective bail to the accused against cumulative surety bonds of Rs150,000 while adjourning the hearing until July 13.

The ATC has already acquitted 18 accused, including former Malir SSP Rao Anwar in the Naqeebullah murder case, ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish their involvement in the crime.

Meanwhile, an ATC granted bail to MQM's Kashif David and Ashraf alias Nowshad in an extortion case.

Appearing before ATC No 19, defence lawyer Abid Zaman Advocate stated that the prosecution did not have any solid evidence against his clients and the allegations against them are baseless. He pleaded that in the absence of concrete evidence, his clients deserve to be granted bail.

The court granted the bail against a surtry bond of Rs50,000.

According to police, the case was registered against the accused in Manghopir police station on the complaint of Mohsin Shirazi.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2023.