KARACHI, Sept 9: The district and sessions judge, South, Agha Rafique Ahmed Khan, deferred on Saturday the indictment of five MPAs of the Pakistan People’s Party in the Eshwar Lal case.
The judge fixed Sept 23 for formal arraignment of Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, leader of opposition in the provincial assembly, and three other PPP MPAs, Haji Munawar Ali Abbasi, Mohammad Nawaz Chandio, Mohammad Saleem Hingoro and Murad Ali Shah.
The indictment was put off due to absence of one of the accused, Mohammad Nawaz Chandio, in the court.
Defence counsel Shahadat Awan prayed to the court to condone the absence of MPA Chandio as he could not turn up due to heavy rains in the interior of Sindh.
The judge granted the application of the defence counsel and directed him to ensure presence of his client on the next date of hearing. All five PPP MPAs are on bail in the case registered by ruling party MPA Eshwar Lal.
MPA Eshwar alleged that he had terms with PPP MPA Ms Shazia Marri and he also exchanged gifts and greeting with her during his festivals.
He said he was told about the illness of Ms Marri and on June 21 he inquired about her wellbeing through a note on a piece of paper during the assembly session.
The ruling party MPA alleged that the female MPA read the note and later gave it to the leader of opposition, who with Ms Marri and other PPP MPAs went out of the assembly hall.
“After a short while, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Muneer Abbasi, Muhammad Nawaz Chandio, Saleem Hingoro and other MPAs returned with eight to 10 men and came to me telling me that they would not spare me alive”, he alleged.
Mr Lal further alleged that the PPP MPAs then started beating him with fists and kicks and they tried to kill him.
He said in the meantime, Mahi Khan Wasan, Abdur Razaque Dahmoo and other MPAs rescued him.
He reported to the police that he was scared after the incident and confined him to his house for few days.
