January 22, 2006	Sunday	Zilhaj 21, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 21: An anti-terrorism court in Karachi on Saturday indicted four gangsters for kidnapping a businessman and his sons for ransom. Mohammad Akram, Gul Hasan Brohi, Abdul Jaleel and Abdul Salam of Razak commando gang are charged with kidnapping Zakirur Rehman and his two sons Asadullah and Habibur Rehman for ransom from Kalakot area Karachi.

The accused denied charges and pleaded not guilty when charges against them were read out by the court.

Eight co-accused including Razzak Commando were declared absconders.

According to prosecution, accused kidnapped Zakiur Rehman on Oct 15, 2004 and demanded Rs. 4 million for ransom.

After keeping abductee as hostage for nine days, prosecution said they released him having received Rs0.5 million as token ransom and directed him to arrange the remaining Rs 3.5 million.

They also kept his two sons in their custody for 10 days who were later released after payment of Rs. 2.4 million.

ATC headed by Judge Syed Saghar Hussain Zaidi after indictment of accused directed Special Public Prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa to produce prosecution witnesses to prove the guilt of the accused.

The next hearing of trial has been fixed for Jan 24.

Meanwhile, the same court deferred the judgment of policeman killing case against activist of Muttahida Qumai Movement for Jan 26.

Ghulam Qadir Patni is charged with killing police constable Mohammad Jehangir Minhas and injuring other policeman Ansar Mehmood on March 23 in Baghdadi.

The accused denied the charges.

The prosecution alleged that the accused riding a bike, with absconding co-accused, shot at policemen when they tried to stop them for a body-search. The accused took official sub machine gun of Jehangir after killing him.

Patni was arrested in June and during interrogation he disclosed the said encounter. Police also recovered official SMG of deceased policeman with 17 live bullets.

convoy attack case: An Anti-Terrorism Court in Karachi on Saturday adjourned the hearing of trial against 11 activists of the banned Jundullah, facing charges of allegedly attacking motorcade of then Corps Commander Karachi in June last year.

The adjournment was sought by defence counsel Mushtaq Ahmed. ATC Judge Feroz Mehmood Bhatti fixed Jan 25 for the next hearing.

Ataur Rehman, Shahzad Bajwa, Danish Imam, Rao Khalid, Khurrum Saifullah, Mohammad Shoaib, Adnan Shah, Mohammad Uzair, Yaqoob Saeed, Najeebullah and Shahzad Mukhtar are charged with attacking the motorcade of then Corps Commander of Karachi Lt-Gen Ahsan Saleem Hayat on June 10, 2004, in Clifton area Karachi.

Ten people were killed, including six army personnel and three policemen and 10 others, injured in this attack.

The accused deny prosecution charges.

The same court deferred judgment of trial against two activists of Jundullah in ranger van attack case till Jan 31.

Ataur Rehman and Shahzad Ahmed Bajwa are charged with attacking on ranger’s mobile van in Ferozabad area Karachi on March 19, 2004. They denied charges of attack on ranger van.—PPI