Crime
ATC convicts 13 accused in illegal arms recovery case from Nine-Zero
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has convicted 13 suspects in cases involving the recovery of illegal weapons and ammunition from the former Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters Nine Zero in 2015.
According to the details, The accused Faisal Mahmood alias Mota, Obaid alias K2, Mohammad Abid, Shabbir Ahmed alias Farhan Maula, Amir Ali alias Sarphata, Mohammad Javed, Mohammad Amir alias Totla, Mohammad Hassan, Imtiaz Hussain, Syed Kazim Raza Rizvi, Abdul Qadir, Nadeem Ahmed and Muhammad Shakeel alias Banarasi were found guilty of possessing illegal arms and ammunition recovered from the Khurshid Memorial Hall.
On March 11, 2015, Rangers arrested senior MQM leader Aamir Khan along with 26 party workers during an early morning raid on Nine Zero, and police have since registered 52 cases against him.
Giving the benefit of the doubt, the court acquitted the accused in the case related to the explosives allegedly recovered from the spot.
A judge of the Anti-Terrorism Court No. XVI read out his verdict, which was reserved on April 5, inside the Judicial Complex in the Central Jail on Friday.
The judge noted that the prosecution has proved the cases against the accused without any doubt.
Accused Faisal Mehmood alias Mota has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 and will have to serve another 6 months imprisonment for non-payment of the fine.
The court sentenced three accused Obaid alias K2, Shabbir Ahmed and Mohammad Abid to eight years imprisonment. The three convicts were also ordered to pay a fine of Rs30,000 for non-payment of additional three months imprisonment.
The court sentenced nine accused to six years in prison, including Amir Ali alias Sarphatta, Mohammad Javed, Mohammad Amir alias Totla, Mahmood Hassan, Imtiaz Hussain, Syed Kazim Raza Rizvi, Abdul Qadir, Nadeem Ahmed and Mohammad Shakeel alias Banarsi.
Each of the sentenced has been ordered to pay a fine of Rs10,000 and if they do not pay, they will have to suffer additional imprisonment of two months.
The court also acquitted the accused Munawar Shah in the arms and ammunition and explosives case on the ground of suspicion.
According to the prosecution, paramilitary forces arrested senior MQM leader Aamir Khan and 26 others during an early morning raid on March 11, 2015.
Tribunal claimed that the weapons recovered from his possession included 11 anti-aircraft guns, 17 hand grenade launchers, 39 LMGs, 9 RPGs, 82 SMGs, 11 Seven MMs, one M16, 32 Chinese.
Rifles include 7.62, 10G3, 5 sniper rifles, two repeaters, 9 short SMG and 245 magazines of SMG and G3.
Further 200 grenades, 2,000 rifle grenades, 140 bulletproof vests and a large quantity of ammunition was also recovered, claimed the petitioner.