3 Chinese nationals acquitted in ATM-skimming case due to lack of evidence.

Byline: Naeem Sahoutara

A district court in Karachi acquitted three Chinese nationals on Thursday of charges of committing cyber terrorism and ATM-skimming due to lack of evidence.

The FIA had detained Xu Zhuping, Zhang Qiaocheng and Zhong Shaowen and charged them with committing electronic crimes, cyber terrorism, fraud and forgery in different localities of Karachi in 2018.

District and Sessions Judge (South) Amjad Ali Bohio pronounced his verdict, earlier reserved after recording evidence and final arguments from both sides.

The judge wrote in his order that the prosecution failed to prove its case against the accused persons and the court was thus acquitting them of the charges by extending them the benefit of the doubt.

The judge also directed the prison authorities to release them forthwith, if their custody was not required in any other case.

According to the prosecution, Qiaocheng and Shaowen were allegedly spotted under suspicious circumstances around an ATM machine installed at a Habib...