RAWALPINDI, Sept 28: An anti-terrorism court here on Friday deferred the hearing in the bail application of a man suspected to be involved in the double suicide attack on the convoy of the president near Jhanda Chichi in December 2003.

Anti-Terrorism Court No 1 Judge Habibur Rehman put off the hearing till October 3 in the bail application of Rana Faqir Hussain, a resident of Faisalabad, whose case was presented in the court last month with the police stating that he was arrested on August 20, 2007 for his alleged involvement in the third but unsuccessful attempt on the official convoy of President Gen Pervez Musharraf who had earlier survived two suicide attacks.

Police claimed that he was the driver of the third vehicle parked in an intersection near Jinnah Park but he could not start the vehicle. The court asked the prosecution to present the record of the case on October 3.

Rana Faqir, in his bail application through Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui advocate, stated that he was picked up by intelligence agencies on December 8, 2005 and was kept in unlawful confinement till he was handed over to the police last month. He said his family had moved many applications in different courts and to the chief justice for his recovery.

His lawyer in the bail application has contended that Rana Faqir was not nominated in the FIR of the suicide attacks lodged with Civil Lines police station on the charges of murder, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, conspiracy against the state, abetting war against the country, mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt, mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause destruction, sedition, unlawful possession of explosive substance and spreading terror by committing deaths. His lawyer further argued that nothing was recovered from the accused.

It may be mentioned here that Rana Faqir’s son, Rana Naveed, was convicted to death by an army court in 2004 in the same case and his wife Shazia Mubashir was reportedly acquitted by the army court. The judge has also granted bail to the woman after her long confinement with her minor son at Adiala jail.

Meanwhile, Anti-Terrorism Court No 2 Judge Sakhi Mohammad Kahot awarded seven years rigorous imprisonment to a man in the case of injuring three policemen and possessing illegal weapon.