Latest news with #Anti-TerrorismCourt
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
Shahid Hamid murder case: ATC acquits 2 MQM workers
KARACHI: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Karachi has acquitted two suspects in the 1997 murder case of former Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) Managing Director Shahid Hamid, citing lack of evidence. The prosecution failed to prove the charges against the two accused, Minhaj Qazi and Mehboob Ghufran, who were allegedly linked to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) London. The court ordered their immediate release, noting that neither suspect is named in any other pending cases. According to the defense lawyer, Mushtaq Ahmed, Minhaj Qazi had already been acquitted in all prior cases. He argued that the First Information Report (FIR) and the complainant's statement were vague, with the complainant only mentioning seeing Saulat Mirza, another accused, outside the vehicle at the time of the incident. Ahmed stated that there was no mention of Minhaj Qazi in the FIR and no concrete evidence linking him to the crime. The prosecution stated that Shahid Hamid, along with his driver and guard, was killed in a targeted shooting in Karachi's Defence Housing Authority on July 5, 1997. Saulat Mirza, a key accused in the case and an MQM worker, was convicted, and executed in 2015 at Machh Jail in Balochistan. Minhaj Qazi and Mehboob Ghufran were the remaining suspects in the case, which has now concluded with their acquittal after nine years of trial.
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Express Tribune
Mother of Degari murder victim sent to jail
Human rights activists shout slogans during a protest in Quetta, against the alleged honour killing of a couple last month in Balochistan, after eloping. Photo: AFP In a significant development in the Degari double murder case, police have obtained DNA samples from Gul Jan, the mother of the slain woman, Bano Bibi. The sampling was conducted on the request of the Serious Crime Investigation Wing. Following the conclusion of her two-day police remand, Gul Jan was produced before an Anti-Terrorism Court, which ordered her to be sent to jail. According to police officials, Gul Jan was taken into custody after a video surfaced in which she appeared to justify her daughter's killing as a form of "punishment" under Balochi tribal customs. The statement drew widespread public condemnation and is being treated as a key element in the investigation. The case drew national attention after a man and a woman were brutally murdered in the Didi area of Degari. A graphic video of the killings went viral on social media, triggering outrage and demands for swift justice from civil society, journalists, and the legal fraternity. The Balochistan High Court took suo motu notice of the incident and directed senior police officials to submit a detailed report. Investigations remain ongoing.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Pakistani woman sent to police custody in daughter's ‘honour killing' case
A Pakistani court on Thursday remanded a woman to police custody for two days in connection with the alleged honour killing of her daughter and a man in Balochistan province. In a viral video, the woman is purportedly seen holding the Holy Quran and stating that the act was not a crime but aligned with traditional values. (Representative Image) The incident took place some days ago at the Sanjidi Degari area near Quetta. The woman, identified as Gul Jan Bibi, was arrested after a video surfaced on social media in which she justified the killings, citing adherence to Baloch tribal customs. She was presented before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Quetta, which sent her on a two-day police remand. In the video, Gul is seen holding the Holy Quran and stating that the act was not a crime but aligned with traditional values. 'My daughter who was married with five children was killed because of her relations with a Baloch youngster who used to post objectionable videos on Tik Tok despite several warnings given to him by our family. 'In Balochi culture, having illicit relations is a crime and punishable by death. The decision to shoot them was taken by a Jirga (tribal council),' she said in the video message. Police also arrested a tribal leader and 10 others in connection with the case, which came into limelight last week after a video went viral in which Gul's daughter and her male friend were seen being shot dead by a group of men in a mountainous area. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, there were at least 405 victims of honour killings in 2024 across various parts of the country.
News18
7 days ago
- News18
Pak court sends woman to police custody in honour killing case
Agency: PTI Karachi, Jul 24 (PTI) A Pakistani court on Thursday remanded a woman to police custody for two days in connection with the alleged honour killing of her daughter and a man in Balochistan province. The incident took place some days ago at the Sanjidi Degari area near Quetta. The woman, identified as Gul Jan Bibi, was arrested after a video surfaced on social media in which she justified the killings, citing adherence to Baloch tribal customs. She was presented before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Quetta, which sent her on a two-day police remand. In the video, Gul is seen holding the Holy Quran and stating that the act was not a crime but aligned with traditional values. 'My daughter who was married with five children was killed because of her relations with a Baloch youngster who used to post objectionable videos on Tik Tok despite several warnings given to him by our family. 'In Balochi culture, having illicit relations is a crime and punishable by death. The decision to shoot them was taken by a Jirga (tribal council)," she said in the video message. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, there were at least 405 victims of honour killings in 2024 across various parts of the country. PTI CORR SCY SCY view comments First Published: July 24, 2025, 20:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Express Tribune
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
ATC fast-tracks PTI protest case hearings
Listen to article An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday decided to fast-track proceedings in three high-profile cases linked to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) November 26, 2024 protest at D-Chowk, Islamabad. The cases, registered at Naseerabad, Wah Cantt and Sadiqabad police stations, will now be heard on an urgent basis. To facilitate this, the court cancelled the summer vacation of ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah, who returned early from his leave to resume duties. On Wednesday, Judge Shah accepted a request from the public prosecutor for early hearings and issued notices to all accused, including PTI founder Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi and his sister Aleema Khan. In a major development, the court also issued non-bailable arrest warrants for former president Dr Arif Alvi, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister Khalid Khurshid and MNA Shahid Khattak, directing authorities to present them in court on July 25. The court further instructed that charge sheets (challans) against the accused be submitted without delay. Other senior PTI leaders, including Omar Ayub, Asad Qaiser, Shahryar Riaz and Hammad Azhar, are also named in the cases. Verdict delayed In a related development, the lower court of Islamabad on Wednesday postponed its decision in two cases filed under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, linked to the PTI protest on November 26. Judicial Magistrate Ahmed Shehzad Gondal was scheduled to announce the reserved verdict on Wednesday, but the decision could not be delivered due to incomplete documentation. The court had reserved its judgment on July 18 after final arguments were completed in both cases. These cases were registered at Ramna Police Station under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order (PAPO) Act. The two cases involve charges related to PTI's protest held in Islamabad on November 26. The verdicts in both cases were ready to be delivered but could not be finalised in writing, prompting the delay. Legal representatives of the accused and the prosecution had concluded their arguments in the previous hearing, after which the court had reserved its decision. Meanwhile, an ATC ordered the distribution of challan copies to the accused present in protest-related cases filed against the PTI founder, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and others. Judge Tahir Abbas Sapra presided over the proceedings. During the hearing, the court summoned the accused, who appeared and were provided with copies of the challans. The judge also issued arrest warrants for those who failed to appear and remarked that the accused will be indicted at the next hearing. The court adjourned both cases till July 30. The cases were registered at Khanna police station and named Qureshi and others as accused. In a separate case pertaining to the arrest of PTI leaders and workers during the October 4 crackdown, the same ATC summoned the absentees to appear at the next hearing. Judge Sapra was again presiding. During the proceedings, lawyers Sardar Muhammad Masroof Khan Advocate, Zahid Bashir Dar and others appeared on behalf of PTI workers. Azam Swati submitted a petition seeking exemption from attendance, while Omar Ayub was issued a notice to be re-summoned for failing to appear. The court directed that all remaining accused must also appear at the next hearing, which was adjourned till Thursday. In response, the defence counsel informed the court that the PTI workers hail from far-flung areas like Kashmir and Mardan and were unable to arrange for overnight accommodation in Islamabad. "This is the party's problem," the judge remarked. "They should make arrangements for their stay." The hearing was subsequently adjourned until Thursday. The latest developments come a day after multiple PTI leaders were sentenced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment by two anti-terrorism courts in Lahore and Sargodha for their alleged roles in the violent events of May 9, 2023. In Lahore, ATC Judge Arshad Javed announced the verdict late Monday night, around 9:30pm, at Kot Lakhpat Jail. The hearing was held inside the prison due to security concerns and involved PTI leaders implicated in the Sherpao Bridge violence case. The court awarded 10-year sentences to senior PTI figures including Dr Yasmin Rashid, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and former provincial minister Mian Mehmoodur Rashid. Alongside the party leadership, four other individuals – Afzaal Azeem Pahat, Ali Hassan, Khalid Qayum, and Riaz Hussain – were also convicted and handed the same sentence. However, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi was acquitted, marking the first acquittal in any May 9-related case in Lahore. The judge also acquitted five other PTI activists – Hamza Azeem, Aitzaz Rafiq, Rana Tanvir, Iftikhar Ahmad and Zayas Khan – after Qureshi's defence successfully established that he was in Karachi on the day of the incident. A total of 14 individuals were indicted in the case, with the prosecution submitting its challan (charge-sheet) on September 28, 2023. During final arguments, prosecutors claimed that the May 9 conspiracy was devised on May 7 at Imran Khan's residence in Zaman Park. Meanwhile, in a separate case in Sargodha, ATC Judge Naeem Sheikh sentenced 32 PTI members, including Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar, to 10 years in prison each. The case was registered at the Musakhel police station in connection with the same day's violence.
