February 13, 2007	Tuesday	Muharram 24, 1428

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GUJRANWALA, Feb 12: The local anti-terrorism court No 2 on Monday handed down death sentence along with a fine of Rs200,000 each to two brothers Kashif Siddiq and Asif Siddiq and awarded 10-year imprisonment to their uncle Shafiq in the murder case of PPP city president Chaudhry Khalid Humayun.

ATC judge Tariq Iftikhar declared five accused proclaimed offenders, including former MPA Mehr Muhammad Salim and vegetable and fruit market commission agents association ex-president Muhammad Siddiq, in the case. Three co-accused Hafiz Kamal, Sabir Bhola and Muhammad Shafi were acquitted by giving them the benefit of the doubt.

According to the prosecution, they had killed Mr Humayun, his two guards Sarwar and Mashal Khan besides a passer-by, Shahid Yousaf, over murder enmity on Nov 25, 2002.

The court had already announced the decision on Sept 26, 2005, but the LHC remanded the case to the same court.

The court completed the hearing on the directions of the LHC.

DBA: The district bar association has demanded the Punjab government allot land for chambers in the city and 1,500 plots in deputy commissioner’s colony in Cantonment for lawyers colony on the eve of President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s visit here.

A meeting held here on Monday with bar president Ilyas Rehan in the chair warned that lawyers would hold protest demonstrations if their demands were not met.

The participants said the government was allotting plots in DC colony to government functionaries while lawyers were being ignored.

fled: An under-trial prisoner escaped from police custody from the district court premises here on Monday.

Police said Ali Ahmad, who was involved in a double murder case, was brought to the court from central jail for hearing of his case. He reportedly unlocked the handcuffs and escaped.

On receiving information, senior police officers reached there and ordered the arrest of constables Abu Bakar Butt and Abdul Wahid on the charge of helping him escape. Meanwhile, a police party conducted raid at the residence of the accused but he could not be arrested.

VISIT: The city district government has sped up preparations for the visit of President Gen Pervez Musharraf here on Feb 15 instead of Feb 16.

A meeting, presided over by state minister Shahid Akram Bhinder here on Monday, reviewed arrangements of reception for the president.

The district administration expressed the hope that all necessary arrangements would be completed within two days.