KARACHI, May 2: The accused in the Masjid Haideri bomb blast case denied on Monday charges against him before an anti-terrorism court.

Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 put off hearing of the case after recording statement of Gul Hassan, who allegedly belonged to the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi.

The judge fixed May 5 for hearing final arguments from special public prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum and defence counsel Mushtaq Ahmed.

The accused stated before the court that he did not belong to any sectarian or banned organization. He also disputed the time and place of his arrest and deposed that DSP Raja Umer Khattab had arrested him on June 11.

According to prosecution, he was arrested on June 13.

Gul Hasan also submitted that he did not know the suicide bomber. He said the police had already shown him to the prosecution witnesses, who identified him before a judicial magistrate and before the trial court.

As many as 25 faithful had been killed and 37 others injured on May 31 last when a suicide bomber blew himself inside the Masjid Ali Raza, located at the Old Numaish.

Accused Gul Hasan is stated to have been the mastermind of the two bomb blasts at Haideri Mosque and Imambargah Ali Raza. He is alleged to have planned the attacks with absconding accused that included Asif Chutho and Mufti Obaid.

The same court would record the statement of Gul Hasan in the Masjid Ali Raza bomb blast case on May 5.

Two indicted: An Anti-Terrorism Court in Karachi on Monday indicted Sherazuddin and Asif in a kidnapping and killing case, adds PPI.

The accused, who are charged with killing Raghib Abbas Jaffery, 20, after kidnapping, denying prosecution charges pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

Earlier, the same court convicted their two accomplices Khurram Mushtaq and Athar Mehmood, found guilty in offence. One of the co-accused, Ms Shabana, is still at large.