KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) extended the physical remand of two suspects for five more days in the Mustafa Amir murder case.

The investigating officer (IO), Muhammad Ali, brought prime suspect Armaghan and his accomplice, Shiraz, before the ATC-III at the judicial complex inside the central prison and sought a 13-day extension of their police custody for further interrogation.

At the outset of the hearing, Armaghan`s parents, who had arrived with their separate counsel, informed the court that they wanted to submit their vakalatnamas as thesuspect`s counsel.

However, the judge asked the suspect whom he wanted to appoint as his counsel, upon which Armaghan signed the vakalatnama for Abid Zaman, the lawyer recommended by his father.

The defence counsel submitted an appli-cation in court and requested a medical examination of the suspect.

Advocate Zaman further named Bilal Tension and Armaghan`s mother as defence witnesses and informed the court that the IO was not recording their statements.

During the hearing, the suspect`s motheralso claimed that her son had surrendered to the police on herinsistence.

The defence counsel requested the court to obtain the call record of Madadgar 15 helpline, which the suspect allegedly contacted during the Feb 8 shoot-out.

At this point, Armaghan claimed that hehad not been given any food in police custody and not used washroom for 10 days. In response, the judge remarked that such a situation was not possible, stating that if it were true, the suspect would not have been able to stand here.

Before announcing its order, the court accepted the defence counsel`s request to allow both the suspects to meet their parents and counsel in the courtroom in the presence of court staff and the IO of the case.

After hearing both sides, the court remanded the suspect in police custody for further five days and directed the IO to submit a progress report at the next hearing.

In the order, the court directed the IO to produce the suspect before the government hospital for necessary medical treatment and check-up.

Later, the IO brought the suspects and two prosecution witnesses Ghulam Mustafa (20) and Zohaib (17), said to be employees of Armaghan before Judicial Magistrate (South) Asim Aslam. The witnesses identified Armaghan and Shiraz by pointing at them and recorded their statements under Section 164 of the criminal procedure code in the presence of the suspects and their counsel in open court.

In their separate statements, they stated that they were hired through an agent to work at Armaghan`s house in DHA and started working there in December.

They added that within a week of working at the house, Armaghan had given them leave and asked them to return on New Year`s Eve but they refused.

However, the prime suspect had allegedly asked them to come the next day.

When they arrived, they noticed dirty dishes, which made them feel that many people had visited the house.

They claimed they had limited access to the house and could not speak to anyone or enter any rooms without Armaghan`s permission. The suspect`s room was on the first floor, and if he needed anything, he would call them himself, they added.

However, Zohaib stated that on Jan 5,after ironing some clothes, he took them upst airs, where he saw a girl sitting there.

Mustafa said that on Jan 6 at around 9pm, a young man arrived at the house and went upstairs. However, he did not see his face because he was wearing a hoodie. Zohaib, however, stated that on January 6 a person named Mustafa arrived at the house in a black car, wearingtrousers and ahoodie.

However, both said that during this time, they remained in their rooms.

The witnesses mentioned in their statements that after some time, they heard exchange of abusive words and then they heard two or three gunshots.

When they stepped out of their rooms, Armaghan called them over after checking the security cameras. He told them not to be scared and to lock themselves inside their rooms.

Later, he came to them (witnesses) and asked them to clean up blood stains.

The witnesses pointed to Shiraz as the man also present on the occasion.

Zohaib stated that when he asked whose blood it was, Armaghan told him to go back to his room and not argue.

The next day, at around 1:30pm, they heard a knock at the gate and when they opened it they found Armaghan and Shiraz.