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KARACHI, Jan 31: An anti-terrorism court put off on Friday the hearing of a sectarian killing case against the chief of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and two others after recording the statements of two prosecution witnesses.
Judge Khan Pervaiz Chang of the ATC-4, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, put off the hearing to Feb 6 when the prosecution will produce further evidence in the case.
The chief of the banned outfit, Akram Lahori, and two other co-accused, Ataullah and Mohammed Azam, are being prosecuted for killing Agha Abbas, owner of a juice shop, on May 25 last year at Nazimabad No 1 in the police limits of Rizvia Society.
The prosecution witnesses sub-inspector Abdus Sattar and ASI Azeemuddin were also cross-examined by the pauper advocate, Mohammed Ashraf Mughul.
Special public prosecutor Maula Bux Bhatti moved an application for initiating court proceedings against the complainant of the case, who was reported to be untraceable.
The judge granted the application of the prosecutor and issued bailable warrants for the arrest of complainant Gul Zaman, an employee at the juice shop.
The judge did not accept the written reply of the jail superintendent to a show-cause notice issued to him by the court for not producing the accused in the court at the previous hearing.
The judge had to put off the hearing of the case on Monday when the jail authorities failed to produce the accused in the court, despite the fact that the trial is being conducted on the premises of the Central Prison.
An assistant to the jail superintendent appeared in the court to submit written reply to the show-cause notice and informed that the Sindh High Court had summoned the jailer.
The judge, however, issued order to the jail superintendent for his personal appearance in the court on the next date of hearing.
BOMB BLAST CASE: Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2 adjourned the hearing of a bomb blast case against a worker of the banned Harkatul Mujahideen Al-Aalmi at the request of the defence counsel.
The judge, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, Karachi, fixed Saturday for the next hearing of the case after counsel Abdul Waheed Katpur sought adjournment as he would be engaged in the Sindh High Court.
Mohammed Ahmed Daniyal was charged with planting two explosive devices in a building, where the Ismaili community were holding a function of their spiritual leader. One of the devices exploded, injuring a few people and damaging a few motorcycles.
The Pirabad police had initially registered the case against unknown culprits on December 13, 2001.
According to the prosecution, the Harkat worker, arrested on July 16, 2002, during interrogation disclosed his involvement in the bomb blast.
KIDNAPPING CASE: The ATC-3, headed by Judge Arshad Noor Khan, put off the hearing of a kidnapping-for-ransom case to Saturday after recording the statements of the two accused.
Farhan and Shahzad, being tried for kidnapping a two-year-old girl on Nov 28 last year in the police limits of Rizvia Society, denied their involvement in the case.
The judge will hear final arguments from the prosecution and the defence at the next hearing.
