ATC acquits three accused in Dua Mangi and Bisma kidnapping case

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday acquitted three accused in high high-profile Dua Mangi and Bisma kidnapping case over a lack of evidence.

A case of police encounter and attempted murder was registered against the accused in Dua Mangi and Bisma abduction in Karachi.

In today’s hearing, the prosecution and investigating authorities failed to establish the charges against the suspects in Dua Mangi and Bisma kidnapping case.

The court acquitted the accused — Zohaib Qureshi, Muzaffar Ali, and Agha Mansoor — citing insufficient evidence.

According to the prosecution, three other suspects, Muhammad Tariq, Shoaib Qureshi, and Waseem, have already been declared absconders.

The prosecution stated that on December 5, 2019, the suspects had opened fire, injuring police personnel Faisal and Arsalan. Forensic reports had matched the shell casings with weapons recovered from the accused.

The suspects were apprehended by Aziz Bhatti Police Station in connection with other cases.

Prosecutors further claimed that Zohaib Qureshi and Muzaffar confessed during interrogation that they had gone to collect ransom from Dua Mangi’s family and opened fire when confronted by police.

Dua Mangi, a law student, who has studied both in the United States and in Karachi. She is the niece of Sindhi poet and columnist Aijaz Mangi.

Dua Mangi and her friend Haris Soomro were out in the evening getting food from a restaurant on 30 November, 2019 around 8 pm.

While walking back a car with at least four men pulled up alongside them and threatened them with a gun. Other sources have stated that there were five men in the vehicle, with only one using a mask.

When Soomro attempted to fight back and protect Mangi he was shot by at least one of the men in the neck and the bullet traveled into his chest