KARACHI, Sept 27: The defence completed deposition of its witnesses before anti-terrorism court (ATC-I) on Saturday in conspiracy case to assassinate President Musharraf against activists of the banned religious organization.

Judge Aley Maqbool Rizvi of ATC-I fixed Oct 11 for hearing the final arguments of both sides.

Azizur Rehman said that he was the security officer for President convoy from Jinnah Terminal to Karsaz area on April 27, 2002. He said that personnel of law enforcement agencies were deployed for security at that time.

Police inspector Ali Hasan produced the record book of FIRs, lodged in 2002, before the court.

Harkat activists Muhammad Hanif, Muhammad Imran, Sharib Arsalan Farooqui, Muhammad Ashraf Khan and Ranger’s ex-inspector Waseem Akhtar are being tried in the Central Jail Karachi for their alleged involvement in conspiracy case for assassinating President Musharraf in April last year.

According to the prosecution, the accused parked a jeep loaded with explosives and fitted it with remote controlled device on Sharea Faisal through which motorcade of President Musharraf had to pass on April 27, 2002. But, they failed to detonate it.

Abdul Waheed Katpar, Khawaja Naveed Ahmed advocates are representing the accused while Special Public Prosecutor Abdul Waheed Khan and Muala Bux Bhatti appeared for the state.

Meanwhile, two eyewitnesses on Saturday recorded statements before anti-terrorism court (ATC), headed by Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch, in killing case against four activists of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi.

The chief of banned organization Muhammad Ajmal alias Akram Lahori, Ataullah, Muhammad Azam and Malik Tassaduq are being tried on charge of killing Ramzan Ali, owner of Pak-Iranian Tea Company in Saddar and injuring three others on Feb 11, 2002.

Complainant Ehsan Ali and Nasir Hussain, employees at the shop, said that four unidentified persons on motorcycles opened fire at the shop resulting in instant death of the owner and injuring both of them and a customer, Firdous Ali. He stated one of the accused threw grenade at shop and destroyed it.

The trial, being conducted in juvenile jail for security reasons, fixed Sept 30 for recording statement of remaining prosecution witnesses.

M.R. Syed and Sarfaraz Tanoli advocates appeared for the accused while special public prosecutor Mazhar Qayum represented the state.—PPI