KARACHI: Hearing of cases against Lashkar men put off
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, March 21: Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the Anti-terrorism Court-5 put off the hearing of a double murder case against the chief of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and his two associates after recording the deposition of the first prosecution witness.
The case against Lashkar chief, Akram Lahori, and his men — Ataullah and Mohammed Azam — pertained to the killing of two persons, Anver Tirmizi and Zulfiqar Haider, in an attack on March 11 last year in the limits of Shah Faisal police.
Special public prosecutor, Syed Nadeem Hussain Shah, conducted the examination-in-chief of the first witness, Syed Sibte Abbas Zaidi, who was also cross-examined by Mohammed Ashraf Mughal, appointed defence counsel on the state expenses.
The judge, who is conducting the trial on the premises of the Central Prison, Karachi, put off the hearing till March 26 for recording the deposition of further prosecution witnesses.
DR ZAIDI CASE: The court (ATC-5) adjourned the hearing of another sectarian killing case against the same three accused on the request of the defence counsel.
The judge fixed Monday for hearing final arguments by the special public prosecutor, Syed Nadeem Hussain Shah, and the defence counsel, Maqboolur Rahman.
Lahori, Mohammed Azam and Ataullah are, in this case, accused of killing Dr Syed Aley Safdar Zaidi of the Kidney Centre on March 4, 2002.
The doctor was on his way to the hospital from his Gizri residence when two motorcyclists had opened fire at his car (ABU-495) as it stopped at a signal near Sultan Masjid. He had sustained injuries and died on the spot.
The defence counsel sought time for the preparation of further arguments.
