Islamabad: An anti-terrorism court in Karachi on August 13 acquitted Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari of a murder case, but he will remain in prison facing other charges.

"No evidence is found against Zardari," Judge Ibrar Hussain Memon said announcing the verdict of the anti-terrorism court.

Zardari was charged in the murder case of Sajjad Hussain, former chairman of the Pakistan Steel Mills.

According to the prosecution, Zardari had plotted to kill Hussain from his prison. Hussain was murdered on September 11, 1998 in Karachi.

Two accused have been declared absconders in the case.

Charges were framed against Zardari on August 5. Defence lawyer Shahadat Awan had filed application in the court for his acquittal on the same day.

The acquittal brings the number of standing charges against the former minister to five criminal and seven corruption charges. He had been in jail since 1996.

A Swiss court had recently found Bhutto and Zardari guilty of laundering $ 12 million in commissions and sentenced them to six-months suspended imprisonment.

PTI