Absolved: Afaq Ahmed acquitted in two murder cases

Hearing adjourned in third murder case.

KARACHI:

A district and sessions court acquitted on Saturday Afaq Ahmed, chairman of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, in two different murder cases.

The accused, Afaq Ahmed, attended the trial held inside Central Prison Karachi  where the DJ South,  Javed Ahmed Keerio, heard arguments on the application filed by the accused under section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The counsel for accused maintained that the prosecution had failed in producing any evidence against him and was unsuccessful in connecting him with the alleged offences. The witnesses examined so far have not assigned any role to the accused and thus he be acquitted of the charges, his counsel maintained.

According to the prosecution in the first case, Mansoor Shaikh of rival Muttahida Qaumi Movement was killed by Haqiqi activists at the instigation of Afaq Ahmed in Shah Faisal Colony while in second case, Afaq was charged with abetting in the murder of Ajmal. Both killings occurred in the year 2009 while Afaq was in jail. The DJ South after hearing arguments in detail, ordered the acquittal of Afaq Ahmed.

A third case of alleged murder of Shah Rukh against Afaq Ahmed and others was adjourned to June 10 by Additional District and Sessions Judge, Malir , Munawwar Sultana. Ajmal was killed on May 3, 2011 in the limits of Sharafi Goth police. Afaq Ahmed was in judicial custody when the man was killed.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2012.