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KARACHI, Oct 7: The special anti-corruption judge, Central, Shaukat Memon, put off on Saturday hearing of the container case against Asif Ali Zardari.
The case pertained to the despatch of artefacts to England for Surrey Palace.
Defence counsel Shahadat Awan submitted an application before the court stating that his client was unable to appear before the court as he was under medical treatment in the US.
He stated that relevant record had already been placed before the court. The court condoned the absence of Asif Ali Zardari for the day and put off the hearing till Nov 23.
The defence counsel placed on record a fresh medical certificate of Asif Ali Zardari on the order of the court.
The medical certificate was issued on June 29 by Dr Kevin G. Dunsky of Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Centre, New York.
The certificate said: “I had the privilege to see Mr Asif Zardari in the office today. Mr Zardari has a history of coronary artery disease and intracoronary stents. He has been experiencing a recurrence of chest pain and as per report a stress thallium showed evidence of ischemia.
“He is scheduled to undergo a repeat coronary angiogram in the near future by his interventional cardiologist, Dr Samin Sharma. Until that time, he must refrain from any stressful situation for concern that it may jeopardize his health”.
The court had earlier directed the defence counsel to submit fresh medical certificate of Asif Ali Zardari on the next date of hearing.
RANSOM CASE: An anti-terrorism court adjourned on Saturday the hearing of a kidnapping for ransom case after recording the deposition of a prosecution witness.
Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 fixed Oct 9 for the next hearing after recording the statement of Judicial Magistrate Lubna Yousuf.
The case pertained to the kidnapping of Najamul Tariq, a US-based businessman. The victim’s real paternal nephew, Adeel Mansoor, and a head constable, Khateebur Rehman, are being tried in the case, while two other accused – Syed Saeed Umer and Arsalan – have been declared absconders.
According to the prosecution, three armed men kidnapped the victim on April 6, this year in the parking lot of the Baqai Hospital, Nazimabad. They took the businessman to a seaside hut and demanded from him Rs50 million for his release.
The victim agreed to pay the money and asked them to let him go. His captors dropped him near New Town and asked him to deposit Rs25 million in the account of Adeel Mansoor, owner of Mubarak Medical Store.
The victim got a pay order for Rs25 million prepared from Al Barakah Islami Bank and deposited it into the account of Adeel Mansoor on April 7.
Later Najamul Tariq narrated the matter to his friend, Mohammed Zafar, who took him to the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee. Later, on April 10, the victim lodged an FIR against Adeel Mansoor and others with the Nazimabad police.
Meanwhile, the judge heard arguments from the defence and prosecution attorneys on the application of defence counsel Mushtaq Ahmed seeking transfer of the case to ordinary court. The judge reserved order on the application till the next date of hearing.
