KARACHI: Eyewitness deposes in diplomat murder case
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec 19: An anti-terrorism court adjourned on Monday hearing of the US diplomat killing case against two activists of Al Qaeda after recording the statement of an eye-witness.
Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5, who is conducting trial inside the Central Prison, fixed Dec 7 for the next hearing after recording the deposition of Abdul Yousuf, a parking lot attendant, who was also cross-examined by defence counsel Ilyas Khan and Mushtaq Ahmed.
The prosecution, represented by special public prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa, has so far examined 27 prosecution witnesses in the case.
PW Yousuf stated that he was the attendant at a parking lot near the railway tracks in Hijrat Colony. Identifying Anwarul Haq, he said the accused with an associate used to come in car No AEG-750 in the parking lot to park the vehicle. He said they came to park their car for one month.
Two Al Qaeda activists – Anwarul Haq and Usman Ghani -- are being tried for masterminding the suicide car bombing to kill the US diplomat.
Four people were killed on March 2 when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into the diplomat’s vehicle yards away from the US consulate.
The blast that took place in a narrow lane between the Marriott Hotel and the Naval Hospital also left over 50 others wounded.
US Consulate official David Foy, his Pakistani driver Iftikhar and Lance Naik Zafar of rangers were killed instantly.
The body of the suicide bomber, later identified as Mohammed Tahir, was also torn into pieces.
MADINATUL ILM CASE: An anti-terrorism court adjourned the hearing of Madinatul Ilm bombing case after amending the charge against the two accused.
Judge Saghir Hussain Zaidi of the ATC-3 fixed Wednesday for recording further statement of the accused.
Mohammad Tehseen alias Arshad and Mohammad Altaf alias Mufti are being prosecuted for their involvement in the suicide bombing case at an imambargah in Gulshan-i-Iqbal which left four persons, including a police head constable dead and more than 22 others wounded on May 30, 2005.
Special Public Prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum is representing the state.
JUDGMENT RESERVED: Judge Saghir Hussain Zaidi of the ATC-3 reserved judgment in a kidnapping for ransom case against four accused.
The judge fixed Dec 22 for the pronouncement of judgment after hearing final arguments by defence counsel Ali Gohar and Special Public Prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum.Accused Naazir Farooq, Mohammed Ashraf, Nazeer Ahmed and Mohammed Tariq have been prosecuted for kidnapping a 10-year-old boy for ransom on May 13 in Shah Faisal Colony.
According to the prosecution, the kidnappers initially demanded Rs500,000 for the release of the victim, but later agreed to accept Rs150,000 in ransom. On May 20, they set the boy free near the Civil Hospital and asked the family to bring money the next day at the same place. However, the family reported the matter to the police who arrested the four accused when they arrived there to take the ransom.
Prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum, who examined 10 prosecution witnesses, prayed to the court to award maximum punishment to the accused as the prosecution had proved its case beyond any reasonable doubt.
LIABA CASE: Judge Ghulam Ali A. Samtio of the ATC-1 put off the hearing of the kidnapping and murder case of a minor girl after recording the statement of the accused.
The judge fixed Dec 21 for the next hearing when he would record the statements of three defence witnesses.
The case pertained to the kidnapping and killing of 2˝-year-old girl, Laiba, daughter of Rehmatullah, a transporter. The victim was kidnapped on April 27 in North Nazimabad and her body was found shortly after the ransom amount was paid to her captor.
Around midnight, the family received a telephone call demanding Rs1,500,000 in ransom. Following the ransom call, the family had lodged an FIR at the Taimuria police station fearing Laiba’s killing. Police and representatives of the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee intervened into the negotiation with the kidnaper and a deal was struck at Rs300,000.
Later, a place was decided between the kidnappers and the family for the payment of ransom in F.B. Area where the girl was supposed to be handed over to the family.
The family gave the ransom amount to the kidnapper following which the family was informed about the location of the girl.
The family spotted the structure at the ground in Block 12, F.B. Area, and as they went inside a small room, they found a day-old body of Laiba. The trussed up body of the girl had turned stiff.
Later, police arrested Asadullah, first cousin of the girl's father, who lived just opposite the girl's house. Hailing from South Waziristan, the 19-year-old accused was a class IX student. He allegedly kidnapped the girl, took her to his house, strangled her with a necktie and stuffed her body into his cricket kit-bag.
It was alleged that he threw the body into a small room of the ground, where he played cricket.
The accused stated that he was innocent and implicated in the case.
Special Public Prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa examined 14 prosecution witnesses in the case.
