March 10, 2007	Saturday	Safar 20, 1428

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GUJRANWALA, March 9: The alleged killer of Punjab minister Zille Huma Usman denied charges when a local anti-terrorism court charge-sheeted him on Friday.

Accused Maulvi Sarwar’s lawyer, Chaudhry Muhammad Tariq, said that his client had not killed the minister and that the police had arrested him in some previous cases.

The court also recorded the statements of complainant Muhammad Ali Bajwa, the brother of the minister, witnesses driver Muhammad Arif, ASIs Ilyas and Nazir and constables Muhammad Munir and Munir Ahmed who supported the prosecution version.

The additional advocate general Chaudhry Muhammad Hussain and local lawyers Shahid Muzaffar Khan, Syed Aftab Zaidi and Saleem Mehmood Chehal pursued the case.

When no lawyer appeared from the accused side, the court inducted advocate Chaudhry Muhammad Tariq from state as defence council.

The court adjourned the hearing till Saturday (today) and summoned the remaining witnesses.

GANGS BUSTED: The district police claimed to have arrested 25 members of six gangs of dacoits and robbers in a special drive launched on the directive of the Punjab IGP.

DIG (operations) Khadim Bhatti said at a briefing here on Friday that the arrested men were wanted by police in 36 incidents of heinous crime, including robberies.

Police recovered a car, two motorcycles, six mobile phones, two guns, 17 pistols, revolvers and bullets besides stolen goods worth Rs500,000 from their possession, he added. He said the campaign against criminals would continue without any discrimination.

SUMMONED: A local court summoned the city district government nazim, WASA managing director, city police officer (CPO), legal DSP and an SHO on a writ petition here on Friday and directed them to appear on March 26.

Petitioner Shehzad Faisal of Ferozewala Road pleaded that he was on his way home by his motorcycle.

When he reached near a graveyard, he fell down in an uncovered manhole and suffered injuries as WASA had failed to place lids.

SHOT DEAD: A factory owner was shot dead while his worker injured by unidentified armed men in Shaheenabad on Friday.

Imran Ali and Asghar were present in the factory when armed men riding on a motorcycle came there and opened fire on them. Imran died on the spot while Asghar was rushed to the local DHQ hospital in critical condition.

VOTED OUT: A naib nazim of Shaheenabad union council lost his office when two-third majority of the house passed a no confidence move against him in the court of presiding officer here on Friday.