11 February 2005	Friday	01 Muharram 1426

LAHORE, Feb 10: Advocate Manzoor Ahmad Malik cross-examined on Thursday three prosecution witnesses again in a reference against Alliance for Restoration of Democracy President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi.

The three witnesses - excise department's Saeedullah Khan and Naib Tehsildars Malik Zahoor and Ghulam Mustafa - were summoned again by the NAB court after it accepted an application of the PML-N leader that the cross-examination of the prosecution witnesses in the absence of the accused was not permitted in the law.

The MNA from Multan was present in court when the witnesses were cross-examined for the second time. He was produced under custody after being flown here from the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi after the court allowed his presence last month.

Comprising Shafqaat Ahmad Sajid, the court adjourned further proceedings in the reference till Feb 22. The court did not allow reporters inside and only his counsel and a few others were permitted entry.

The court's direction followed the argument by Mr Hashmi's counsel that the trial in the absence of the accused did not carry legal weight as provided in section 353 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The prosecution did not oppose the plea.

The PML-N leader is facing charges in a reference which alleged that he purchased property through money he got from sources disproportionate to his income and transferred it in the name of his close relatives and members of the family.

The wife, six daughters, a son-in-law and two brothers of Mr Hashmi are alleged to be beneficiary in one way or the other of assets valuing about Rs38 million, which the political leader is accused of acquiring with ill-gotten money amassed between 1991 and 1999.

Mr Hashmi is at present serving 23-year imprisonment in a sedition case at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

Liar: The Lahore High Court on Thursday observed that a police official telling a lie was not eligible to be retained in the department.

The court made the observation after a police official had given a wrong statement on a habeas corpus petition by the sister of one Shahid alias Shada.

The petitioner contended that the Sargodha Road police of Faisalabad was keeping Shahid in illegal custody.

When the court asked the SHO about the date of Shahid's arrest, he submitted that he was taken in custody on Feb 7. The court reminded him that he had submitted on the same day that the accused was yet to be arrested.

The police official also refused to take oath on holy Quran about the authenticity of his submission when the court asked him to do so if he was speaking truth. However, he said Shahid was involved in a robbery case. The court directed police high-ups to take a disciplinary action against the SHO for giving a wrong statement. The court summoned the Faisalabad DPO on Feb 14 to know whether an action had been taken against the official or not.