ATC acquits Pasban leader's son.

KARACHI -- An antiterrorism court (ATC) acquitted on Thursday two accused, including a son of a leader of Pasban Pakistan, in cases pertaining to possessing illicit weapons and explosives and armed assault on policemen with an intention to kill them.

Mohammad Siddiqui, son of Usman Moazzam, general secretary of Pasban (formerly Jamaat-i-Islami's youth wing), and Ubaid-ur-Rehman were charged with possessing unlicensed weapons and explosives and encounter with police with the intention to kill in Korangi Industrial Area in January 2015.

On Thursday, the judge of the ATC-II pronounced her verdict reserved after recording evidence and final arguments from both sides.

The judge noted that the prosecution failed to prove the charges against the accused persons, thus the court acquitted them due to lack of evidence.

The judge ordered their release forthwith if their custody was not required in any other case.

According to the prosecution, the Pasban Pakistan general secretary during his detention had disclosed to have kept illicit weapons and explosives at some place.

It further mentioned that accused Mohammad Siddiqui and Ubaid-ur-Rehman were arrested from a place where the weapons and explosives had been stored, following an encounter.

In their statements, recorded under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code, both the accused persons claimed innocence and denied their involvement in the alleged offence.

Defence counsel Mohammad Farooq and Mushtaq Ahmed contended that the recoveries were allegedly made on the information of then detained Pasban leader Usman Moazzam.

However, they claimed that there was no documentary evidence to prove that the place in...