September 16, 2008	Tuesday	Ramazan 15, 1429

KARACHI, Sept 15: The administrative judge of the anti-terrorism courts, Karachi, Justice Khawaja Naveed Ahmed, on Monday remanded a suspect in judicial custody till Sept 21 for allegedly planning the assassination of the town police officer of Lyari.

The suspect, Zeeshan Sheikh, was arrested on Sept 6 in Lyari and the police also claimed to have recovered hashish from his possession.

According to the police, during the initial interrogation the suspect made the disclosure of his involvement in a plot to kill the town police officer of Lyari, SP Raja Omar Khattab, using a remote-controlled bomb rigged to a bicycle on Aug 23 in the limits of the Saddar police station. The bomb exploded as the police officer’s vehicle moved close to the explosives-laden bicycle.

However, the TPO and a motorcyclist sustained minor injuries. The police had claimed that the attack was aimed at SP Khattab as he had played an active role in operations against various banned militant outfits in the past.

The judge directed the investigation officer in the case to submit a charge-sheet on the next date of hearing.

Earlier on Sept 8, the court had remanded the suspect in police custody till Sept 15 on the request of the investigation officer who wanted to interrogate Zeeshan Sheikh for his alleged involvement in the TPO’s assassination plot.

Notices reissued

An additional district and sessions judge, East, re-issued notices to the prosecution witnesses in two cases registered against Akram Lahori, the chief of a banned sectarian outfit, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi. The judge, Abdul Razzaq, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, adjourned the hearing till Oct 8 and directed the witnesses to testify on the next date of hearing.

The court had indicted Akram Lahori in murder and attempt to murder cases on July 14. However, he pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the case. The judge had summoned the prosecution witnesses on the pervious hearings. However, they did not turn up to testify.

Akram Lahori had been charged with murder and attempt to murder cases registered against him in 2002. The first case was registered under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Brigade police station and the second was registered under Section 324 of the PPC at the Korangi Industrial Area police station.

Three-year term

A man was on Monday sentenced to a three-year term in prison after being found guilty of keeping an illegal weapon in his possession.

A judicial magistrate, South, pronounced his verdict after recording final arguments from both sides.

According to the prosecution, police had arrested Mateeullah in Mehmoodabad area on Feb 2, 2008 and recovered an illegal weapon from his possession. A case was registered against him under Section 13-D of the Arms Ordinance at the Mehmoodabad police station. The court observed that the prosecution had successfully proved its case against the accused by providing ample evidence.

Indian fishermen

A civil judge and judicial magistrate, West, remanded 16 Indian fishermen in judicial custody till Sept 20.

According to the prosecution, the Maritime Security Agency had detained these Indian fishermen along with three fishing boats on Sept 13 for fishing illegally in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Pakistan.

A case was registered against these 16 fishermen under Sections 3/4 and 3/9 of the Fishery Act at the Docks police station.