14 acquitted in 2012 arson attack case.

An antiterrorism court on Thursday exonerated 14 accused in a six-year-old case pertaining to an arson attack triggered by politically-motivated violence in Karachi.

The accused - including Mohammad Yamin, said to be a sector in-charge of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) along with Waqar, Arsalan, Tahir Malook, alias Bengali, Misbah, Nadeem and others - were exonerated of the charges of setting private properties ablaze in an arson attack, violence and terrorism within the remit of the Saddar police station in Dec 2012.

The ATC-XIII judge, who conducted trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, pronounced his verdict reserved earlier after recording evidence and final arguments from both sides.

The judge noted in his order that the prosecution had failed to prove the allegations it had levelled against the accused persons. Therefore, he acquitted them of all the charges due to lack of evidence.

The judge also ordered immediate release of one detained accused, Mohammad Yamin, from the prison if his custody was not required in any other case. Thirteen other accused were already on bail before or...