KARACHI, July 19: Hearing of the Mir Murtaza Bhutto case was put off on Saturday, as the defence counsel concluded the cross- examination of the 18th prosecution witness.

District and Sessions Judge, East, Sain Ali Dino Matilo, fixed July 24 for the next hearing after the cross-examination of Dr Ibrahim Soorma, who had examined Murtaza Bhutto at the Mid East Hospital.

Ashraf Kazi and Adam Jafferi, counsel for accused Wajid Durrani and Basit Ali, cross-examined the doctor. Barrister Azizullah Shaikh, counsel for Asif Ali Zardari, Chaudhry Iftikhar, counsel for Shoaib Suddle, Rai Tahir and Shahid Hayat, and Ehtesham Ullah Khan, counsel for other accused, however, preferred not to cross examine the prosecution witness.

Meanwhile, Asif Zardari moved an application to the court for staying at the Clifton campus of the Dr Ziauddin Memorial Hospital for some days. He submitted before the court that he had undergone an operation of cyst in his skull and that the doctors would remove stitches on July 26.

Mr Zardari, a diabetic, also attached with his application a letter from the doctors.

According to the letter, doctors advised the patient not to travel until the stitches were removed. He prayed to the court to order the authorities to keep him in Karachi till his recovery.

The judge issued notice to the special public prosecutor on Mr Zardari’s application for his comments.

It may be mentioned here that an application was filed on Friday by Special Public Prosecutor M Ilyas Khan, seeking permission to transfer the custody of former senator Asif Zardari to Punjab province for trial of other cases against him, adds APP.

The prosecutor submitted that the accused was required to be produced in case 525/1997 before a court holding trial inside the Central Prison, Lahore, on July 19. He submitted that another trial of Mr Zardari had been fixed for July 21 at Rawalpindi and on July 24 before an accountability court at Attock Fort.

The State requested that Sindh province should be allowed to transfer the custody of Asif Zardari till July 24. The accused has been facing trials here in murder case of Mir Murtaza Bhutto, Ashique Hussain Jatoi and six other workers and supporters of PPP (Shaheed Bhutto) group, who were gunned down in an alleged encounter with police on September 20, 1996.

Barrister Azizullah K Shaikh, counsel for the accused opposed the application and submitted that the accused was operated upon only a few days back at Ziauddin Medical Centre Hospital and according to the advice of doctors, he could not be allowed to travel.

There were 18 other accused facing trial in the case and they should not suffer for non-availability of one person (Mr Zardari), submitted Barrister Azizullah K Shaikh and counsel for other accused including Choudhry Iftikhar, M Ashraf Qazi, Adam Bin Jafri.

Dr Abdul Ghaffar Jatoi, brother of deceased Ashique Jatoi also opposed the application by the State.

After hearing counsel from both the sides, District and Sessions Judge, East, Karachi, Ali Sain Dino Mitlo, put off the hearing and fixed July 24 to pass an order on the application. The court also ordered that the accused should be kept in Karachi till the next hearing on July 24.

SUICIDE ATTEMPT CASE: The judicial magistrate, South, Syeda Perveen Shah, fixed July 28 for the hearing of a suicide attempt case against Asif Ali Zardari.