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KARACHI, Sept 7: An anti-terrorism court directed on Wednesday the counsel for sacked provincial revenue minister Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh to produce his client before the court on Sept 10. Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 adjourned the hearing of a kidnapping for ransom case against the sacked minister and ordered that the accused would be indicted in the case on the next date of hearing.
The counsel for Imtiaz Shaikh moved an application seeking extension in time for appearance of his client on medical grounds. The judge, however, dismissed his application and ordered him to produce the accused on the next date.
The case against Imtiaz Shaikh and co-accused Agha Asghar, Nasir Mehmood, Mehmood Zakir, Mohammad Ashfaq and Ateeq Ahmed Siddiqui was registered by the Korangi police on March 28 on the complaint of Zafar Iqbal, who alleged that his 17-year-old son was kidnapped on June 28, 2003, on the directives of the sacked minister.
The complainant alleged that the accused kidnapped Umer Iqbal from his house in Qayyumabad and demanded Rs1.5 million from his wife for the release of his son. He further alleged that the accused released his son after receiving Rs700,000 at the house of Imtiaz Shaikh.
Mehfooz Ahmed, an alleged associate of the sacked minister, was the only arrested accused in the case. Imtiaz Sheikh was granted interim bail by the Sindh High Court, which put off the matter till Sept 15 for conformation of the bail. The remaining accused persons have been declared absconders.
DIG ATTACK CASE: The same court reserved ordered on the acquittal application of Bashir Khan Awan, who has been charged with attempting to murder DIG Investigation, Karachi, Manzoor Mughal.
Judge Baloch fixed Sept 13 for the pronouncement of his order on the acquittal application after hearing arguments from defence counsel Ms Raana Khan and special public prosecutor Haq Nawaz Baloch.
DIG investigation escaped unhurt in a life attempt allegedly committed by the accused who came to the DIG’s office to submit his application.
The accused allegedly fired a bullet on the DIG but he narrowly escaped and accused was arrested. An illegal pistol and live bullets were seized from his possession.
Bashir Awan was booked under Sections 452/353/324/506-B of the PPC and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act at Mithadar police station.
FAROOQI CASE: An accountability court reserved on Tuesday judgment in a Rs167 million corruption reference against former chief of the Pakistan Steel and three others.
Judge Parkash Lal Ambwani of the AC-4 fixed Sept 20 for pronouncement of verdict after hearing final arguments by special public prosecutor Naeem Akhter Tanoli.
Former PSM chairman Usman Farooqui, former deputy general manager of PSM A H Askari, and contractors Khawaja Qadeer and Khawaja Naseer have been charged with causing a loss of Rs167 million to the national exchequer.
The former PSM chief is an absconding accused in the case. Accused Askari is in custody, while the two contractors are on bail. Defence counsel Raja Qureshi and Nisar Tarar had forwarded their arguments a couple of days ago.
REFERENCE: Judge Qaiser Iqbal of the AC-1 put off the hearing of a corruption reference against a contractor of the Thatta Cement Factory after hearing arguments of the defence counsel on the acquittal plea of the accused.
The judge fixed Sept 12 for hearing the final arguments from special public prosecutor Naeem Khan Tanoli on the acquittal application of Mohammed Ashraf.
The contractor, along with Riazul Hasan Rizvi, former TCF MD, Maqsood Ahmed, manager sales, and a cement dealer Mohammed Ashraf, has been charged with causing losses to the national exchequer through fake rebate claims.
The former TCF chief, former manager sales, and dealers - Mohammed Iqbal, Uttam Perkash, Sultan Salahuddin, Mohammed Ashraf and Mahesh Kumar – were arrested in mid-April for causing losses to the national exchequer
On July 7, the administrative judge ordered release of two dealers of the Thatta Cement Factory after approving their plea for bargain.
Mohammed Iqbal Zai and Uttam Parkash were ordered to be released after they made payments to the extent of their liabilities.
The two dealers approached the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau with bargain plea agreeing to pay back the amount they had secured through fake rebate claims. The NAB chairman accepted their plea and referred it to the administrative judge of accountability courts for her approval.
Uttam Parkash deposited back Rs900,000 to the extent of his liability, while accused Mohammed Iqbal Zai made a partial payment of Rs2.35 million out of his total Rs6.92 million liability. He would make the remaining amount in two equal instalments as per the agreement with the NAB authorities.
CONVOY ATTACK CASE: An anti-terrorism court adjourned on Tuesday the hearing of the corps commander’s convoy attack case against 11 workers of the banned Jundullah group after recording the statement of a prosecution witness.
Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2 fixed Sept 10 for the next hearing after the deposition by judicial magistrate Anwarul Hasan Siddiqui, who had conducted the identification parade of nine accused.
The judicial magistrate stated that Inspector Tariq had moved an application before him on June 22, 2004, for identification of nine accused. He said the inspector also submitted a list of 17 prosecution witnesses.
During cross-examination by defence counsel M R Syed, the judicial magistrate stated that the accused were lined up with nine dummies and the prosecution witnesses identified the accused among them.
The prosecution, represented by Iqtidar Ali Hashmi and Maula Bux Bhatti, has, so far, examined 21 prosecution witnesses.
Ataur Rehman alias Ibrahim, Shahzad Ahmed Bajwah, Yaqoob Saeed, Uzair Ahmed, Shoiab Siddiqui, Danish Inam, Najeebullah, Khurrum Saifullah, Shahzad Mukhtar, Khalid Rao and Adnan Shah alias Tipu have been charged with a series of offences, including attack on the motorcade of Lt-Gen Ahsan Saleem Hayat on June 10 last year on the old Clifton bridge, which resulted in the death of six army personnel, three policemen and a passerby.
Mohammed Qasim, Maaz, Shahab, Bilal, Tayyeb, Hammad and Fasih have been declared absconders.
