08 February 2004	Sunday	16 Zilhaj 1424

ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: The Islamabad district and sessions judge on Saturday recorded the evidence of three prosecution witnesses in the mutiny case against Makhdoom Javed Hashmi , president of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, in the absence of defence lawyers.

PML-N sources said that during an in-camera proceedings, which was held inside the Adiyala Jail, district and sessions judge Chaudhry Asad Raza recorded the evidence presented by three police officials, including constables Bashir, Akram and Khurshid despite protest by the accused.

Sources said at the outset of the 45-minute-long court proceedings, Javed Hashmi invited the judge's attention over the absence of his counsels, Senator Latif Khosa and Zafar Ali Shah, and said due to sudden death of his mother, Zafar Ali Shah could not make it while Latif Khosa was also not available in the city.

He also submitted an application before the court with a request to adjourn the proceedings till the time his counsel appeared before the court.

However, the court rejected the application and decided to continue proceedings by recording the evidence.

Javed Hashmi again requested the court that the proceedings should be adjourned because it would not be appropriate to continue the hearing in the absence of his counsel. The court later adjourned the hearing till Feb 14.

During the hearing, prosecutor Munir Ahmed Bhatti appeared for the state. Maimoona Hashmi, the daughter of Makhdoom Hashmi attended the hearing.