November 29, 2008	Saturday	Ziqa'ad 30, 1429

KARACHI, Nov 28: An additional district and sessions judge on Friday directed the federal interior ministry to submit a complete report till Dec 19 regarding the issuance of red warrants for four accused and its execution through Interpol in a case pertaining to an attempt on Asif Ali Zardari’s life in 1999.

The former National Accountability Bureau chief, Saifur Rehman Khan, his brother Mujibur Rehman Khan, former inspector-general of police Rana Maqbool, former deputy inspector-general of police Farooq Amin Qureshi and former superintendent of the central prison Najaf Mirza were charged with obtaining the physical custody of Asif Zardari apparently in “an illegal manner” from an anti-terrorism court on the night between May 15 and 16, 1999, and taking him to the CIA Centre, where they allegedly tortured him and forced him to record incriminatory statements.

The court had declared all the accused proclaimed offenders and on Sept 30 the judge directed the federal interior ministry to issue red warrants for the arrest of the four accused residing abroad and to execute the warrants through Interpol and submit the compliance report in the court.

A DSP appeared before the court on Friday when the case came up for hearing and informed the court that the interior ministry had directed the provincial police officer to follow the case. He said that he was appearing on behalf of the PPO and sought some time for the compliance report.

The public prosecutor also supported the plea and said a comprehensive report regarding the issuance and execution of red warrants would be filed on the next hearing.

However, the judge, Nizar Ali Khawaja, adjourned the hearing till Dec 19 and directed the interior ministry via the DSP to submit a complete report till the next hearing and warned of legal action in case of non-compliance.

The court also extended the interim pre-arrest bail granted to Najaf Mirza till the next hearing. Offering arguments on the bail application, the applicant’s counsel said that it was a baseless case and the investigation officer had submitted a Class C report in the court and an additional district and sessions court had acquitted all the accused in the case.

He further submitted that his client was on leave when the incident took place and he had been falsely implicated in the case.

The special public prosecutor, Abdul Maroof, said that the case was authentic and was registered after an inquiry conducted by the then district and sessions judge (Malir) and it was established in the inquiry that the injuries of Asif Zardari were not self-inflicted, adding that the Class C report was submitted unlawfully since sufficient evidence was available and later the acquittal order of the trial court was set aside by the high court.

He concluded that the incident took place on a Sunday and he would not oppose the bail application of the accused if he was on leave on the same day, but sought supporting evidence in order to prove the plea.

The applicant’s counsel sought extension in the interim bail and requested the court to grant some time in this regard.