HYDERABAD, June 10: The Anti-terrorism Court Judge, Syed Ali Ashraf Shah, here on Monday issued notices to the Advocate General Sindh and the Chief Prosecutor in the Daniel Pearl murder case, Raja Qureshi, and the counsel for Mariane Pearl, Barrister M. Jamil, on an application filed by the senior defence counsel, Abdul Waheed Katper.

Mr Katper had filed the application, through his junior colleague, earlier in the day preying to the court that Ms Mariane, the wife of the slain US journalist Daniel Pearl, be called to record her testimony because she was a star witness in the case. She had submitted a letter to the SHO of the Artillery Maidan police station to get her FIR lodged.

Hearing of Mr Katper’s application has been fixed for June 13.

Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court, Karachi, which had stayed operation of the ATC’s May 28 order allowing release of Mr Pearl’s murder video to the defence, did not pass an order on Monday on the chief prosecutor’s criminal revision application.

The defence has already refused to proceed with the cross-examination of the last witness, Hameedullah Memon, an investigation officer, before the SHC’s ruling.

The defence counsel, Rai Basheer Ahmed, said that if allowed by the court, he would be entitled to get a certified copy of the video cassette to be shown to experts for preparation of cross-examination of the IO because the defence had disputed the validity of the video in question.

The ATC court had reserved the cross-examination of Hameedullah Memon after recording his examination-in-chief.

The prosecution has objected to the release of the video on the grounds that the film of the gruesome murder might amount to the spread of terrorism in the society.

A similar application had been filed by the AG Sindh, Raja Qureshi, seeking appointment of a commission to record the statement of Mariane Pearl in London as she was unable to travel to Pakistan on health grounds.

Barrister M. Jamil, her counsel, had later told the court that she might travel to London or to Karachi after June 2.

However, in a fresh development the counsel made an addition to his previous written statement, saying that he was not sure whether his client would come to Pakistan or London.

In the wake of the new development, the chief prosecutor has withdrawn his application for appointment of a commission.