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KARACHI, June 12: The prosecution closed on Thursday its side in a case pertaining to a plot to kill President Pervez Musharraf as the defence counsel concluded the cross examination of the last prosecution witness, the investigation officer of the case.
Judge Aley Maqbool Rizvi of the Anti-terrorism Court No. 1, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, fixed June 18 for recording the statements of the accused after the deposition of Inspector Dawood Akbar.
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 in the limits of the Airport police.
Khawaja Naveed appeared for accused Ashraf, Abdul Waheed Katpur for accused Hanif, Maqboolur Rahman for Sharib, Ghulam Mustafa Memon for Waseem Akhtar, and Raza Ali Abidi for accused Imran. They cross-examined the investigation officer.
Accused Imran, Hanif and Waseem Akhtar, a rangers inspector, allegedly disclosed to have 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 the Falak Naz 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 Sharea Faisal, pushed the remote control button several times but the explosives did not blow up.
According to the prosecution, 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 the additional advocate general, Sindh, Habib Ahmed, special public prosecutors Maula Bux Bhatti and Abdul Waheed Khan.
FRENCHMEN KILLING CASE: The two accused in the Frenchmen killing case denied the charges and stated before the court that they were innocent.
Judge Feroze Mahmood Bhatti of the ATC-2, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, fixed Monday for the statement of the accused persons.
Accused Mohammed Asif Zaheer and Rizwanullah, who were allegedly trained in a camp belonging to the Harkat Jihad-i-Islami in Afghanistan, are facing the charges of killing 11 French naval engineers and two Pakistanis in a suicide bomb attack last year.
The two accused said they had no connection with the suicide bomber, Rashid, as they did not even know him. They also disputed the date and place of their arrest.
The French engineers, who were helping Pakistan build its Agosta 90-B submarine, were killed when an explosives-laden vehicle rammed into their bus outside the Sheraton hotel.
Accused Asif Zaheer is being represented by M. R. Syed and special public prosecutor Maula Bux Bhatti, assisted by special public prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum, is appearing on behalf of the state.
