Builders, contractors acquitted in six labourers' death case.

KARACHI -- Seven builders, contractors and an engineer were acquitted following an out-of-court compromise made between parties in a case pertaining to the death of six labourers who fell after a construction lift buckled in Clifton, it emerged on Wednesday.

The labourers had died after falling from an under-construction 23-storey building in Block 7 of Clifton on March 9, 2019. They were reportedly fixing glasses on the upper floors of the high-rise when the lift buckled.

Four builders - Mohammad Amin Patel of M/s Land Mark Enterprises, his partners in the under-construction project Abdul Aziz Memon, Mohammad Munir Memon and Ameer Ali - two contractors Irfan-ur-Rehman and Moosa Iqbal and engineer Khalil Ahmed were booked in the case registered under Sections 322 (manslaughter) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Boat Basin police station.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (South) Ghulam Murtaza Baloch, heard arguments from the state prosecutor and counsel representing the suspects and the legal heirs of the victims and passed the order on the compromise applications moved by the parties.

A court is told that victims' heirs forgave builder, his three partners and others in an out-of-court settlement

The court order said: 'Accused Ameen Muhammad Kajani, Moosa Iqbal, Irfan Rehman, Abdul Aziz, Ameer Ali, Muhammad Muneer Memon and Khalil Ahmed are present on bail.

'Arguments heard. Order passed and announced in open court. All accused persons are acquitted under 345(6) Cr.P.C from this case. All accused person are present on bail, their bail bond stands cancelled and surety discharged. Case disposed off accordingly,' it added.

In July 2019, the court was informed that the suspects and the legal heirs of the victims were going to enter into an out-of-court compromise.

Advocate Shujaat Ali Khan had moved an application on behalf of the victims' heirs, under Section 345(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code, mentioning that they had pardoned the suspects without any fear or pressure in the name of the Almighty and had no objection if the suspects were discharged in the present case.

Talking to Dawn, Advocate Khan confirmed that the court had allowed the compromise between the parties and the seven nominated suspects had been acquitted in the case.

The defence counsel had also filed applications under Section 345(6) of the CrPC, mentioning that their clients had reached an out-of-court settlement with the legal heirs of the...