June 26, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 21, 1429

RAWALPINDI, June 25: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench here on Wednesday dismissed an appeal of the Punjab government seeking cancellation of post-arrest bail granted by an anti-terrorism court to a woman allegedly involved in the twin suicide attacks on the convoy of President Pervez Musharraf in 2003.

A division bench, comprising Justice Maulvi Anwarul Haq and Justice Syed Hamid Ali Shah, dismissed the appeal of the provincial government against the decision of the ATC-I that granted bail to Shazia Mubashir, who was accused of being part of a seven-member group that was prosecuted by an army court in 2004 for carrying out two suicide attacks on December 25, 2003, when two explosive laden vehicles hit the presidential convoy.

On Wednesday, an assistant advocate general sought adjournment but the bench dismissed the appeal after the defence lawyer Col (retired) Mohammad Akram maintained that according to the law, if the trial of an accused woman was not concluded in six months she became entitled to bail in any case.

Ms Mubashir was granted bails in different cases by anti terrorism courts in Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur last September. She is a suspect in the suicide attacks that killed 15 people, mostly security personnel. According to her lawyer, Shazia was arrested in January 2004 and was tried in a military court and was acquitted.

The LHC was informed by the Punjab government in April that the woman was duly tried in a military court and was acquitted of all charges of sedition, murder, terrorism and use of explosive materials.

Shazia with her minor son remained in the jail from August 2005, when she was handed over to Civil Lines police by the military authorities, to September 2007 without any headway in her case.

Meanwhile, a single bench granted a stay of execution against the construction of a more than 60-foot high building in Murree.

Justice Syed Hamid Ali Shah also issued notices to the respondents — secretary local governments, TMO Murree and municipal officials — directing them to appear before the court on July 9, the next date of hearing in the case.