LAHORE: The Supreme Court has been requested to transfer trial of slain federal minister for minorities affairs Shahbaz Bhatti to Faisalabad from an anti-terrorism court of Islamabad.

Advocate Rana Abdul Hameed made the request in a petition filed with Lahore registry of the apex court. He stated that the complainant of the case, witnesses and counsel as well had life threats in Islamabad. He said all the parties concerned belonged to Faisalabad, therefore, the trial should also be transferred to the same district.

Shahbaz Bhatti was gunned down in 2009. Two suspects Hammad Husain and Umar Abdullah were being tried on murder charges.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2014