An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has acquitted former Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Kamran Farooqui in two nine-year-old cases pertaining to alleged possession of illicit weapons and explosives for lack of evidence.
Farooqui had been charged with possessing one hand grenade and an unlicensed 9mm pistol within the jurisdiction of the Nabi Bux police station on December 16, 2016. The ATC-judge, who conducted the trial at the judicial complex inside the Central Prison, announced his order after recording evidence and final arguments from prosecution and defence sides.
According to the prosecution, ex-MPA Farooqui was arrested during a routine snap checking in Garden’s Shoe Market area on December 16 after an unlicensed pistol and hand grenade were found in his possession.
Defence lawyers Abid Zaman and Osama Ali Gujjar contended that the former MPA was picked up from his residence on December 15, 2016, and later booked in these fake cases. They said that the prosecution failed to place on record substantial evidence to prove its charges against their client.
