KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday extended the physical remand of the accused in the Mustafa Amir murder case, Armaghan Qureshi and Shiraz, for five more days while ordering their medical examination.
During the hearing, Armaghan Qureshi denied allegations of torture in police custody, claiming he had been denied access to a washroom for ten days. The court dismissed his plea, stating that if such conditions had existed, he would not have been able to stand in front of them. The court also allowed the accused to meet their family and lawyers under police and court supervision.
Armaghan and Shiraz’s legal representatives, including Abid Zaman, Tahir-ul-Rehman, and Barrister Sara Asim, submitted their power of attorney. While Armaghan pleaded with the court about being tortured, the prosecution argued that further remand was required to finalize the investigation. The police have traced a girl named Zuma, whose statement and DNA analysis are still pending.
The defense lawyer raised concerns about media interviews given to Shiraz while denying legal counsel access. The lawyer also questioned the details of a police encounter in which the accused allegedly contacted an emergency helpline.
Background of the Case: Mustafa Amir, a resident of Defence, was reported missing on January 6. His mother filed a missing persons report the next day. A ransom call demanding Rs 20 million was made on January 25, which led to the addition of kidnapping-for-ransom charges.
The Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) raided Armaghan’s house on February 9, leading to a confrontation where police officers were injured. Armaghan confessed to murdering Mustafa during initial questioning but later retracted his statement. Investigations, aided by federal agencies, led to Shiraz’s arrest, who confessed to assisting Armaghan in the murder and burning Mustafa’s body in Hub, Balochistan.
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The police have recovered Mustafa’s burnt vehicle and the charred remains of the victim, which were identified through DNA testing. Investigators are still working on recovering Mustafa’s mobile phone, identifying the alleged involvement of a 12-year-old girl, and recovering the murder weapon. A post-mortem examination may be carried out on Mustafa’s body, pending court approval for exhumation.
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