February 21, 2008	Thursday	Safar 13, 1429

KARACHI, Feb 20: The additional district and sessions judge, Central, Tasneem Sultana, on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of a case pertaining to the murder of a newly-wed couple till Feb 27.

The court issued notices to the complainant, Danish Zaheer, and persecution witnesses Irfan, directing them to appear in court on the next hearing.

Earlier, the judge had summoned the complainant and other witnesses to testify. However, they failed to comply with the court’s order.

Hafiz Shaikh Mohammad Azeem and his bride Beenish were found dead under mysterious circumstances the next morning of their wedding night in their North Nazimabad apartment in the limits of Taimuria police on Aug 11.

The investigation officer nominated Shaikh Abdul Majeed, the father of the deceased groom, as the main accused in the case.

On Jan 11, the court had indicted Shaikh Abdul Majeed on charges of killing the couple. The accused pleased not guilty and opted to contest the case.

The case (FIR No391/07) was registered on the complaint of the family of the deceased bride, Beenish, at the Taimuria police station under Section of 302/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Meanwhile, the additional district and sessions judge-II, Central, Nelofer Shahnawaz, on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of the boiler blast case till Feb 26.

The blast that occurred at a towel-dyeing and bleaching factory in New Karachi on July 24, 2007 had left nine people dead and 25 others injured.

Akhtar Hussain Baloch, the factory owner, and Mohammad Ahsanullah, the boiler operator, was indicted on a manslaughter charge. The accused through his counsel submitted a bail application to the court. The judge recorded the arguments advanced by both sides and fixed Feb 23 for the pronouncement of his order on the application.