Lahore, Mar 1 : An anti-terrorism court has acquitted Shahbaz Sharif in the Sabzazar encounter case after the complainant withdrew murder charges against him.

The complainant Saeedudin told anti-terrorism judge Justice Shabir Hussain Chattha that the former Punjab Chief Minister was not involved in the murder of his son at the hands of police officers.

The court then cleared Shahbaz's name from the case, however legal proceedings against 12 other accused will continue.

Talking to Geo News afterwards Sharif said he knew all along that he would be cleared of all charges as he had nothing to do with the killings and hoped the real culprits would be arrested soon.

Shahbaz was directly accused in the alleged police encounter in which five young men Salahuddin, Ashraf, Wakeel, Farooq and Rauf were killed.

The father of Salahuddin, Saeeduddin took the matter to the court.

In accordance with the directives of court, a case had been registered on January 2001. (ANI)