KARACHI, Nov 21: An anti-terrorism court has ordered the appointment of a pauper advocate for the defence of Akram Lahori and three others in five sectarian murder cases.

Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5, who had earlier given the final notice to the chief and workers of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi for engaging lawyer, appointed Zahid Rohila defence counsel for the defendants at state expenses.

The judge passed the order to this effect on Wednesday at the Central Prison, Karachi, where he held the circuit of his court for trial of the sectarian workers.

Under the law, the accused of an offence involving death punishment must be defended by an advocate during trial. In case the accused fails to engage a lawyer for his defence, he is provided a pauper advocate for his defence at state expense.

Judge Baloch fixed Nov 28 for formal indictment of the Lashkar men, Mohammed Ajmal alias Akram Lahori, Mohammed Azam, Ataullah and Tassaduq, in five different cases.

The accused in sectarian murder cases are being tried by three ATCs inside the century-old prison. The jail trial was notified by the provincial home department on Aug 13.

Earlier, the provincial authorities dragged their feet on making the necessary arrangements for the sitting of the ATCs on the jail premises.

The accused were supplied with copies of the statements of the prosecution witnesses on Aug 5, and they were fixed to be formally arraigned in the cases on Aug 15. However, the jail authorities did not produce the accused in the courts and informed the judges that the provincial government had notified the jail trial of the accused in the sectarian murder cases.

Finally, on Oct 24 the cases were taken up for framing of charges against the accused by the ATC-5. The accused, however, could not be formally indicted in the cases and the trial could not begin as the accused sought time for engaging counsel for their defence.

In his notice to the accused, Judge Baloch observed: “Your request for time to engage defence counsel was allowed, but till today you failed to engage any advocate and you are continuously requesting for allowing time to engage counsel, as such the matter is adjourning on your part by making delaying tactics.”

The judge further ordered: “You are hereby directed to engage any advocate till the next date of hearing, ie, 20-11-2002, and on failure to do so the court will appoint an advocate at government expenses for conducting your case.”

DOUBLE MURDER CASE: Three prosecution witnesses recorded their statements in the case against a woman, who allegedly murdered her parents.