KARACHI, Aug 4: District and Session Judge, East, Karachi, Sain Ali Dino Matilo, on Monday adjourned hearing of Mir Murtuza Bhutto murder case against ex-Senator Asif Ali Zardari and others, after recording statement of a prosecution witness.

The judge, who was conducting trial in central jail Karachi, fixed Aug 9 for next hearing.

Defence counsel Chudhary Iftikhar cross-examined the medico-legal officer of the Jinnah hospital Karachi, Dr Shamsuddin.

The MLO had conducted postmortem of Ashiq Jatoi, office-bearer of the Pakistan People Party (SB), who was killed along with Mir Murtuza Bhutto in an alleged shoot out with Karachi police, near his Clifton residence, on Sept 20, 1996.

The prosecution placed Dr Ayaz of the Jinnah hospital as its 20th witness, who recorded his statement before the court. Dr Ayaz stated he had treated the injured, as he was a member of the team who conducted postmortem of Mir Murtuza Bhutto from 6am to 7am in the Mideast medical centre, Karachi.

Asif Zardari, Shoaib Suddle, then DIG Police Karachi, Wajid Durrani, then senior superintendent police, South, Masood Sharif,then chief of the Intelligence Bureau, Shahid Hiyat, then SP of Saddar, Rai Mohammed Tahir, then ASP of Darkhshan police, Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani, then SHO of Garden police station, Agha Mohammed Jameel, then SHO of Napier PS, and other policemen were the accused in the case.

Meanwhile, the court reserved judgment, after hearing arguments of both sides, on the application of the counsel for State, seeking transfer of Asif Zardari to Punjab for hearing of pending cases against him.

Advocates, Azizullah K Sheikh, Ashraf Kazi, Khalid Hameed and Adam Jaffery represented the defence side, while the Special Public Prosecutor Ilyas Khan appeared for State.

JOURNALISTS BARRED: Meanwhile, the authorities of Central Prison Karachi (CPK) disallowed journalists from covering the trial, on a day when an important prosecution witness was to be examined.