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KARACHI, Jan 16: A division bench of the Sindh High Court deferred hearing of an application filed by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto praying to quash the proceeding of an accountability reference pending trial in the Accountability Court (AC-IV) regarding illegal appointments in the Pakistan International Airlines.
The bench, comprising Justice Zahid Kurban Alvi and Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, adjourned the hearing for want of time. The court will take up the matter on next date (date in office).
Abdul Hafeez Lakho advocate had filed a criminal revision application in the SHC, challenging the impugned order of AC-IV, Karachi, dated September 11, 2001, and prayed the court to set aside it. The trial court on September 11, 2001, had dismissed the application for acquittal under section 265-K CrPC, filed by Ms Bhutto.
According to the prosecution, Benazir Bhutto, Naheed Khan, former MD PIA, Farooq Umar, Ghulam Qadir Jamote, Siraj Shamsuddin and Najmul Hasan, in connivance with each other, had illegally appointed 1,393 persons and transferred abroad their favourite people in the national flag-carrier in violation of rules and regulations during 1995 to ‘96.
NOTICES ISSUED: An appellate bench of the Sindh High Court issued notices to Advocate General of Sindh and Special Public Prosecutor, Anti-Narcotic Force, for January 24, on two identical appeals filed by two Nigerians, who were convicted on charges of drug smuggling.
The appellants, Christian Chukwu and Emeka Bartholomen, had filed appeals from Central Prison, Karachi, praying the court to modify their sentences and fine imposed by trial court, on humanitarian ground.
The Special Court (Control of Narcotic Substances), Karachi, on November 24, 2001, had sentenced them to suffer five years’ rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs50,000 each.—APP/PPI
