An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday extended the physical remand of Armaghan Qureshi, the prime suspect in the Mustafa Amir kidnapping and murder case, for another seven days to facilitate further investigation.
The hearing was conducted at the special ATC inside Central Jail Karachi, where the investigating officer presented the accused upon completion of his previous remand period. The prosecution requested an extension of remand until March 17, arguing that additional evidence—including a DVR, a weapon, and an iPhone—still needed to be recovered.
Defense lawyer Abid Zaman strongly opposed the prosecution’s request, asserting that there was no justification for extending the remand and that the accused should instead be moved to judicial custody. He also challenged the prosecution’s claim regarding the recovery of a stick, stating that it had been found a day later than originally reported.
During the proceedings, the court questioned the permissible duration of physical remand under ATC regulations. The defense responded that the law allows physical remand for a maximum of 30 days, depending on the nature of the case.
The court then sought the case diary and investigation progress report to assess the prosecution’s request. It also issued notices to the investigating officer and the special public prosecutor regarding the defense’s demand for an interim challan to be submitted.
After deliberating on the matter, the court ruled in favor of extending Armaghan Qureshi’s physical remand by seven more days to allow further evidence collection and investigative procedures.
