The formal trial will begin from the next date of hearing.
The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) formally arraigned a Rangers lance naik on Saturday, on the charge of shooting an unarmed taxi driver, Mureed Abbas, to death.
Initially, four paramilitary personnel - Lance Naik Ghulam Rasool, Lance Naik Barkat Ali, sepoy Waqar Ahmed and sepoy Qadeer Abbas - were arrested by the Gulistan-e-Jauhar police for their alleged involvement in Abbas’ death who was killed on July 16, 2013. The police had submitted a charge-sheet in court against Rasool, saying it was a case of accidental and unintentional murder because the accused (Rasool) had tried to stop the taxi driver by opening fire at the tyre of his vehicle.
Investigators had also claimed that no concrete evidence was found against the three other personnel, who were subsequently released. On Saturday, the judge read out charges against the accused, who pleaded not guilty and decided to contest. The judge issued notice to the prosecution witnesses for February 6 to appear and record their statements. The formal trial will begin from the next date of hearing.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2014.
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