KARACHI, July 24: District and Session Judge East Sain Ali Dino Matilo on Thursday adjourned the hearing of Mir Murtuza Bhutto murder case against ex-Senator Asif Ali Zardari and others after recording statement of prosecution witness.

The judge who is conducting trial inside Central Jail Karachi fixed July 28 for the next hearing with the consent of counsel from both sides and directed the jail superintendent to ensure that Asif Zardari, is not transferred from Karachi till the next hearing.

The prosecution placed its witness Dr. Shamsuddin, MLO JPMC, who conducted the postmortem of Ashiq Jatoi, an office-bearer of Pakistan People Party (SB), who died along with Mir Murtuza Bhutto in an alleged shot-out.

Dr. Shamsuddin recorded statement before court and stated he conducted postmortem of Mr. Jatoi who received two bullets and died due to excessive bleeding.

He stated that when he completed the postmortem of the deceased, two policemen came to his office and asked him to make medical report of SHO Haq Nawaz Sayal who was also injured in a shootout. Dr Shamsuddin said he asked him to produce him at the hospital, but they denied to do so and took away record register from his office.

He further stated that he noted that the police personnel went in a police mobile (No. 189) of the Clifton police station and such an incident he reported to his concerned officials, police control room and PS-Saddar Karachi.

The court asked the state counsel to place the original or duplicate copy of the complaint before the court that witness lodged in the police station concerned.

When matter regarding shifting of Asif Zardari to Punjab was taken up, defence counsel stated that the prosecution should file a fresh application as its previous application is infructuous.

The state counsel stated that he would inquire from the Punjab home department about the position of cases against Asif Zardari and inform the court on the next hearing.

Asif Zardari was produced before the court amid tight security.

Murtaza Bhutto, brother of Benazir Bhutto, was killed along with six others, including his close aide Ashiq Jatoi, in September, 1996 near his residence in Clifton, Karachi, in alleged shootout.

Asif Zardari, Shoaib Suddle, then DIG Police Karachi, Wajid Durrani, then senior superintendent police, South, Masood Sharif, then chief of Intelligence Bureau, Shahid Hiyat, then SP of Saddar, Rai Mohammed Tahir, then ASP of Darakhshan police, Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani, then SHO of Garden police station, Agha Mohammed Jameel, then SHO of Napier PS, and other policemen were accused in the case.

All policemen have been granted bail.The court fixed the matter for July 28, and directed the prosecution to place doctors on the next hearing who could not appear on Thursday.

Azizullah K Sheikh, Ashraf Kazi, Khalid Hameed advocates are representing the defence side while special public prosecutor Ilyas Khan appeared for the state.

Meanwhile, Special Public Prosecutor M Ilyas Khan on Thursday submitted that accused Asif Ali Zardari would be kept at Karachi till July 28, the next date of hearing of murder case of Mir Murtaza Bhutto, Ashique Hussain Jatoi and six others.

The assurance came at the end of proceedings on Thursday when court took up an application moved by the SPP seeking transfer of custody of accused to Punjab in connection with trial of a number of cases before different courts, including Accountability Court, Attock.

“Every time the Superintendent of Prison came to me and requested that order for keeping custody in Karachi be passed,” observed District and Sessions Judge, East, Ali Sain Dino Metlo.

“Every one has the impression that accused may be shifted to Rawalpindi any time,” the judge said.

“I have moved the application on instructions from the state and I cannot say about any such intentions,” said SPP, adding as per directives of the court he has sought information about the cases pending against accused Zardari before courts in Sindh.

The application moved by the state has become infructuous, stated Barrister Azizullah K Shaikh, counsel for accused Asif Zardari opposing the state plea for transfer of custody of the accused.—PPI/APP