An anti-terrorism court in Karachi on Monday awarded four accused life imprisonment twice for murdering former Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) lawmaker Ali Raza Abidi, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

Pronouncing the verdict in the murder case, the court also slapped a fine of Rs100,000 each on the four convicts. 

The court awarded the sentences to convicts Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Ghazali, Abu Bakar and Abdul Haseeb under Anti-Terrorism Act.

The MQM leader was murdered in 2018 after he was shot multiple times outside his residence in Khayaban-e-Ghazi neighbourhood of Defence Housing Authority. Abidi was immediately shifted to PNS Shifa Hospital in critical condition, however, he succumbed to his injuries.

Abidi was elected as an MNA on MQM's ticket in 2013 general elections. He, however, joined the Pakistan faction of the party after it split into two. However, the lawmaker resigned from his National Assembly membership in November 2017 citing "political and personal reasons".

The resignation came days after Abidi announced quitting the MQM-P after it entered into an electoral alliance with the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP). He, however, later rejoined the MQM-P in December 2017, before finally leaving the party in September 2018.

Reporter Jawad Asif