HARIPUR: The Anti-Terrorism Court Hazara here on Friday acquitted five accused, including a PTI leader, in the murder case of six persons.

After a trial of six and half years, the ATC judge Sajjad Jan announced a short order acquitting all the accused as the witnesses produced before it failed to prove their presence on the crime scene.

The acquitted persons also included Atif Munsif Khan Jadoon, a former PTI district councillor and now a candidate for Havelian tehsil chairman slot.

The case relates to murder of six persons and injuring of former district councillor and PML-N leader Khan Javed Khan and his driver about six and half years ago.

Defence lawyer Atif Ali Khan Jadoon Advocate said FIR of the incident was registered on May 08, 2015, with the Sera-i-Saleh police. In the FIR, complainant Khan Javed stated that a group of people had opened fire when he and his security guards were travelling in two separate vehicles near the railway bridge of Dhok village.

He stated in the FIR that he was returning from addressing a corner meeting in connection with his election campaign as candidate for Haripur district council during the 2015 local body polls in Chitti Dhak village.

Khan Javed had alleged that the vehicles were ambushed at the behest of his cousin, Junaid Younas Khan. He had stated that the attack resulted in instant death of all his six security guards, while he along with his driver was injured.

Later, the police had arrested main suspect, Atif Munsif, who was later elected as member district council on PTI ticket during detention; his brother Asif Munsif, cousins Uzair Khan and Junaid Younas, and their employee Nazakat, but other accused are still at large.

It may be added that Khan Javed was also assassinated in the district courts on Dec 19, 2015, when he was leaving after attending hearing in a murder case. According to the FIR, Junaid Khan Jadoon, 22, a cousin of Atif Munsif, had allegedly opened fire. He was later arrested.

Former provincial minister Munsif Khan Jadoon, father of Atif Munsif, was also assassinated during the 90s.

TWO KILLED: Two motorcyclists were killed when a recklessly driven dumber truck struck them on Khanpur-Taxila Road on Thursday night.

The police identified the deceased as Afghans, namely Mohammad Wali and Mohammad Bilal.

The truck also hit another motorcycle, Mohsin Saleem, a university student, critically injuring him.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2022