KARACHI: A Customs court has indicted Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmaker Mohammad Aslam Khan in a case pertaining to smuggling and tax evasion.

Aslam Khan, alias Aslam Singapori, who has been elected member of the National Assembly from NA-254 (Karachi Central-II), on a PTI ticket, was in 1997 booked in a case pertaining to the alleged misdeclaration and evasion of duty and taxes.

The special court judge (Customs and taxation), Sadaf Asif, read out the charges under relevant sections of the Customs Act, 1969.

The accused pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the case.

The judge summoned the witnesses to record their testimonies and adjourned the hearing.

The Customs had booked seven men, including Mohammad Azam and Hameed-ud-Din along with their five absconding accomplices Mohammad Aslam Khan, Mohammad Saleem Khan, Sajjad, Asif, and Akhlaq Ahmed in 1997.

According to the prosecution, the accused had smuggled electronics goods worth Rs28.57 million in association with Pakistan Air Force personnel into Pakistan under the garb of defence stores of PAF from 1995 till 1997. They allegedly caused losses to the tune of Rs28.57m to the national exchequer.

The trial court had indicted Azam and Hameed-ud-Din along with their five absconding accomplices on December 14, 1997.

However, the court later acquitted Azam and Hameed-ud-Din in the case by giving them the benefit of the doubt in August 2004.

In Sept 2018, the PTI lawmaker had surrendered before the trial court after obtaining protective bail from the Sindh High Court.

Baldia factory fire case

An antiterrorism court adjourned on Thursday hearing of a case pertaining to the Baldia factory fire and fixed the matter for recording testimony of the last remaining witness on Nov 14.

On Thursday, the matter was taken up by the ATC-VII judge to record statement of a former investigating officer Inspector Raja Jahangir, who was present. But the defence counsel for three accused persons — Zubair, alias Chariya, Umer Hasan and Ali Hasan were absent.

With the consent of the counsel for the parties who were present, the judge fixed Nov 14 for recording testimony of the last witness Inspector Jahangir and directed him to appear on the next date.

Naqeeb case hearing adjourned

Another ATC on Thursday adjourned the hearing of a case pertaining to killing of aspiring Waziristan model Naqeebullah Mehsud in a ‘staged’ encounter.

The ATC-III judge was set to record testimonies of the prosecution witnesses, when former SSP Rao Anwar appeared on bail while other accused persons were produced from prison.

The judge adjourned the hearing till Nov 19 due to absence of Advocate Majeed Khoso, defence counsel for one of the police officials.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2019