KARACHI, Dec 15: Five MPAs of the Pakistan People’s Party were indicted in the Eshwar Lal case on Friday.

The district and sessions judge, South, Zaheeruddin S. Leghari put off the hearing till Dec 20 for recording the statements of the prosecution witnesses after Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, leader of opposition in the provincial assembly, and MPAs Haji Munawar Ali Abbasi, Mohammad Nawaz Chandio, Mohammad Saleem Hingoro and Murad Ali Shah denied the charges and pleaded “not guilty”.

The five MPAs, who are on bail, were present in the court along with their counsel Shahadat Awan. They were booked by the Preedy police under sections 324, 506-B, 109 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code for attempted murder on the complaint of the ruling party MPA on June 26.

The complainant alleged that he was on good terms with PPP MPA Ms Shazia Marri and he also used to exchange gifts and greeting with her during festivals. He said he was told about Ms Marri’s illness and on June 21 he inquired about her well-being 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 along 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 along with eight to 10 men and came to me telling me that they would not spare me alive,” he alleged.

Mr Lal said that then the PPP MPAs started beating him up 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.

The charge read: “That on June 21, 2006 at about 12:30pm inside Sindh Assembly Hall building, you all intentionally and knowingly and in furtherance of your common intention while abetting the commission of offence, attempted to commit Qatl-i-Amd of complainant Ishwar Lal by pressing his neck and therby committed an offence punishable under Section 324/34/109 PPC and within the cognizance of this court. I hereby further charge you all that on the aforesaid date, time and place your all in furtherance of your common intention and while abetting the commission of offence aforesaid, served the complainant with threats of dire consequences, thereby attracting the provisions of Sections 506 (B), 34 and 109 of the PPC, and withing the cognizance of this court. I hereby direct that you be tried by this court on the aforesaid charges”.