KARACHI, Aug 20: The district and sessions judge, East, Zafar Ahmed Khan Sherwani, deferred on Saturday judgment on the acquittal application of Asif Ali Zardari in Mir Murtaza Bhutto murder case. Defence counsel Shahadat Awan said the judge deferred the judgment till Oct 1 as he was engaged with the Election Commission for conducting LB polls.

Murtaza Bhutto was killed with six others, including his close aide, Ashiq Jatoi, in September 1996 in Clifton by a heavy contingent of police during an alleged shootout.

Asif Ali Zardar, former DIG of Karachi Shoaib Suddle, the then SSP South, Wajid Durrani, then IB chief Masood Sharif, then SP of Saddar, Shahid Hiyat, then ASP of Darkhshan, Rai Mohammed Tahir, then SHO of Garden police station, Shabbir ahmed Qaimkhani, then SHO of Napier PS, Agha Mohammed Jameel, ASI Abdul Basit, head constables Muslim Shah and Faisal Hafeez, and constables Zafar Iqbal, Zulfiqar Ahmed, Ghulam Mustafa, Ahmed Khan, Raja Hameed, Gulzar Khan, Zakir Mehmood and Ghulam Shabbir were the arrested accused in the case. They all have been granted bail.

Meanwhile, the same court, as a link court of federal anti-corruption court, also adjourned hearing of trial against Asif Zardari in the container case.

The court fixed Oct 1 for next hearing as defence counsel Shahadat Awan prayed court for adjournment as his client was under medical treatment and his doctors advised him 12 weeks rest.