November 22, 2007	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 11, 1428

RAWALPINDI, Nov 21: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench on Wednesday adjourned till December 3 the hearing of a case concerning a woman suspected of involvement in suicide attacks on President Gen Pervez Musharraf some four years ago.

The state counsel, Raja Javaid Ashraf, had sought adjournment, saying he needed more time as he wanted to see the verdict of the army court that had acquitted the woman in the case.

The division bench, comprising of Justice Abdul Shakoor Paracha and Justice Syed Sajjad Hussain Shah, put off the hearing in the bail cancellation petition moved by the federation of Pakistan.

Though the accused, Shazia Mubashir, was present in the court, she said she could not say anything as her lawyer was not present.

She was granted bail by Anti-Terrorism Court 1 judge Habibur Rehman in early September in the case of two fatal suicide attacks on the convoy of President Gen Pervez Musharraf near Jhanda Chichi on December 25, 2003.

The government stated in its bail cancellation petition that the decision of the ATC judge was taken in violation of the law and the facts related to the case. Secondly the accused is involved in a heinous crime and has thoroughly been investigated by the army and police. Thirdly the judge did not apply his mind judiciously and granted the bail exceeding his jurisdiction in this regard.

Shazia along with her brother, Hafiz Tahir, was arrested on January 3, 2004, from the house of her father in Bahawalpur in connection with the suicide attacks. Some 15 people, mostly security officials and passers-by, were killed when two extremists rammed explosive-laden vehicles into the president’s convoy. A case was registered with the Civil Lines police on the charges of sedition, murder, terrorism and use of explosive materials.

Shazia’s lawyer had been claiming that she along with her husband and seven other men was tried by the court of field general marshal in Attock and was acquitted of all charges. She was handed over to the police on August 23, 2005, and the police arrested her again to be tried under the charges of terrorism.

She with her minor son languished in Adiala jail for two years and was released when granted bail after the intervention of the Supreme Court.