KARACHI: An antiterrorism court (ATC) on Thursday acquitted a suspectedgangsterforlack of evidence in another case pertaining to the assault on law enforcers and killing of a Rangers official in an encounter.

In the decade-old case, the ATC-III judge acquitted Nisar Ahmed alias Mullah Nisar as the prosecution failed to prove charges against him for allegedly attacking the personnel of law enforcement agencies during a raid in the Lyari locality to arrest the accused and his accomplices as well as for the killing of a Rangers official.

`The prosecution has failed to prove the charges against the accused beyond reasonable shadow of doubt,` the court ruled.

However, he will remain behind the bars as he is facing trial in multiple cases. So far, he has been acquitted in nine cases.

Mullah Nisar is said to have been initially associated with the chief of the outlawed Peoples Amn Committee and the Lyari kingpin, Uzair Baloch, but later parted ways over some differences.

According to the prosecution, acting on a tip-off, the police and Rangers raided their hideout in Shariq Lane, Liyari. Upon seeing the personnel of law enforcement agencies, the accused, along with his accomplices, opened fire.

In retaliation, the law enforcers killed two suspected gangsters and recovered as may pistols from them, however, the accused fled.

It was due to heavy firing that Rangers` Lance Naik Anwar Ali, 38, was critically wounded and shifted to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The case was registered on the complaint of Sub Inspector Malik Muhammad Riaz at the Kalakot police station under sections 302 (premeditated murder), 353 (deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempt to murder), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the AntiTerrorism Act.

Earlier, the ATC had acquitted Mullah Nisar for lack of evidence in the cases of possession of explosives, and illicit weapons, an attack on a raiding party of law enforcement agencies, and also attacking a police station.