KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday struck down anti-terrorism clauses from the case pertaining to the murder of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Ali Raza Abidi, while delivering its verdict on the appeals filed by the convicts.
In its ruling, the court converted the life imprisonment sentences handed down to the accused into the period already served in jail. Consequently, the SHC ordered their release from prison.
The decision marks a significant development in the high-profile case, which had initially been tried under anti-terrorism laws. By removing those provisions, the court effectively altered the legal standing of the convictions, paving the way for the accused to walk free after years behind bars.
Ali Raza Abidi, a former MQM lawmaker, was gunned down outside his residence in Karachi in December 2018, a killing that had sent shockwaves across the political landscape and prompted a major investigation.
