Waseem Akhtar and Two Others Cleared in May 12 Case
- Abeera Marium Siddiqui
- January 29, 2025
- 11:32 am
- 30
- Trending
Former Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar has been acquitted in the May 12, 2007 riots case. An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Karachi ruled that the prosecution failed to provide enough evidence. Along with Akhtar, Umair Siddiqui and Ijaz Shah Qadri were also acquitted.
Court Says No Evidence Against Waseem Akhtar
The May 12, 2007 riots were one of Karachi’s deadliest incidents. Over 50 people were killed, and more than 100 were injured. Violence broke out when lawyers and political workers gathered to receive the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Security concerns forced Chaudhry to stay inside Karachi Airport for nine hours before returning to Islamabad.
On Monday, the ATC-VII judge announced the verdict at Karachi Central Jail’s judicial complex. The court ruled that the prosecution could not prove the charges. As a result, all three accused were cleared, and their bail sureties were canceled.
Prosecution Accused Akhtar of Planning the Riots
The prosecution claimed that on May 10, 2007, Akhtar chaired a meeting at MQM’s Nine Zero headquarters. Party members allegedly planned to block lawyers from reaching the airport.
In 2016, Akhtar was arrested and charged with abetment, rioting, and supporting violence. The prosecution also said he confessed during police interrogations. However, the court rejected this claim due to lack of evidence.
Defense Proves No Evidence Against Akhtar
Defense lawyer Mushtaq Ahmed argued that the case was weak. He said there were no witnesses or documents proving Akhtar held a meeting to plan the violence.
The defense also pointed out that the other two accused, Umair Siddiqui and Ijaz Shah Qadri, were only charged because of Akhtar’s alleged confession. Since the court did not accept the confession as valid, there was no case against them either.
Other Accused in the May 12 Case
The ATC also ruled on other suspects. Twelve individuals, including MQM founder Altaf Hussain, are still absconders. The court issued permanent arrest warrants against them.
In addition, six other cases related to the May 12 riots are still in court. These cases were filed at various police stations, including Airport Police Station, under different sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.
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