0
KARACHI, June 9: The prosecution in the Frenchmen killing case closed its side on Monday after the defence counsel concluded cross-examination of the last prosecution witness.
Judge Feroze Mahmood Bhatti of the anti-terrorism court No. 2, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, fixed Wednesday for the statement of the accused.
Mohammed Asif Zaheer and Rizwanullah, who were allegedly trained in a camp belonging to Harkat Jihad-i-Islami in Afghanistan, are facing charges of killing 11 French naval engineers and two Pakistanis in a suicide bomb attack last year.
The French engineers, who were helping Pakistan build its Agosta 90-B submarine, lost their lives when an explosive-laden vehicle hit their bus outside the Sheraton hotel.
Accused Asif Zaheer is being represented by M. R. Syed. Special public prosecutor Maula Bux Bhatti, assisted by special public prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum, is appearing on behalf of the state.
Inspector Mohammed Tauqir, who was the investigation officer, appeared as prosecution witness.
PLOT TO KILL: An anti-terrorism court adjourned the hearing of a case pertaining to a plot to kill President Pervez Musharraf following the statement of two prosecution witnesses.
Judge Aley Maqbool Rizvi of the ATC-1, who is holding trial inside the Central Prison, fixed June 10 for the next hearing after the deposition of Mohammed Saleem and the judicial magistrate, Malir, Farid Anver Qazi.
Chief of the banned Harkatul Mujahideen Al-Aalmi, Mohammed Imran, his deputy Mohammed Hanif, finance secretary Mohammed Ashraf, Waseem Akhtar, a rangers inspector, and Sharib, have been charged with hatching a conspiracy to blow up the president’s motorcade.
The judicial magistrate, who had recorded the confessional statements of Imran, Hanif and Ashraf, and PW Mohammed Saleem were also cross-examined by the defence counsel.
Khawaja Naveed appeared for Ashraf, Abdul Waheed Katpur for Hanif, Maqboolur Rahman for Sharib, Ghulam Mustafa Memon for Waseem Akhtar, and Raza Ali Abidi for Imran.
According to the charge-sheet, the prosecution has cited nine prosecution witnesses and shown Habibullah Khattak, Mohammed Jamil, Mohammed Aamir and Kamran as absconders.
Accused Imran, Hanif and Waseem Akhtar, a rangers inspector, allegedly stated that they made an abortive attempt on the life of the president in last April.
The accused had parked an explosive-laden vehicle near a shop at Falaknaz Arcade, and accused Kamran had the remote control to blow up the explosives. It was alleged that accused Kamran, who had positioned himself at a petrol pump near Star Gate on the Sharea Faisal, pushed the remote control button several times but the vehicle did not blow up.
The Aalmi leaders, during interrogation, revealed that they wanted to kill President Musharraf for his anti-Taliban and pro-US policies.
The state is being represented by a team of prosecutors, comprising AAG Sindh Habib Ahmed, special public prosecutors Maula Bux Bhatti and Abdul Waheed Khan.
MEHMOODABAD CASE: Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC- 5 adjourned the hearing of the Mehmoodabad multiple killing case against the chief of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and three others after the statement of the judicial magistrate, Lubna Yousuf.
LJ chief Akram Lahori, Mohammed Azam, Attaullah and Malik Tasadduq were charged with killing six people and injuring five others in an attack on April 10, 2001 on Ali Murtaza Imambargah in Mehmoodabad.
The judge reserved the cross-examination of the magistrate and ordered the prosecution to first examine those prosecution witnesses, who had recorded their statements before the magistrate. The judge fixed June 11 for the next hearing.
