06 March 2005	Sunday	24 Muharram 1426

LAHORE, March 5: Advocate Manzoor Ahmad Malik on Saturday cross-examined two of three prosecution witnesses again in a reference against Alliance for Restoration of Democracy President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi.

The court had earlier summoned tehsildar Syed Ejaz Husain Naqvi, who died several months ago.

Three witnesses were summoned again by the NAB court after it accepted an application of the PML-N leader that cross-examination of prosecution witnesses in the absence of the accused was not lawful.

Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, who was brought from the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi in the morning, was present in the court under tight security.

Comprising Shafqaat Ahmad Sajid, the court adjourned further proceedings in the reference untill March 11. The court did not allow reporters inside and only his counsel and few other people were allowed entry.

The PML-N leader from Multan is facing charges of purchasing property with money he had amassed through unknown sources of income and transferred it in the name of his close relatives and members of the family. He is serving a 23-year imprisonment in a sedition case at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.