ATTOCK, Feb 18: The accountability court comprising judge Farrukh Latif, examined a witness for prosecution in an illegal assets reference on Monday against former federal minister Asif Ali Zardari.

Syed Sulaiman Rasheed, the Eastern Federal Union Insurance Company executive vice-president recorded his statement.

Later, the defence counsel cross-examined the witness. Maqsood Chohan of the Sakrand Sugar Mills, who had recorded his statement earlier was also cross-examined.

Two witnesses for prosecution, Shajehan Sheikh, manager of Habib Bank’s Modern Housing Society, Karachi, branch, and Abdur Rashid, manager of Muslim Commercial Bank’s Company Ghali, Karachi, branch, could not record their statements.

The hearing was adjourned for Feb 28, 2002.

The prosecution was represented by National Accountability Bureau’s deputy prosecutor general Tanveerul Islam and the defence by Arshad Tabraiz advocate and Farooq A Naek.

At the end of the proceedings Mr Zardari was shifted back to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad.

Former senator Malik Hakmeen Khan and former MNA Mehurn Nisa of the Pakistan People’s Party and NAB’s Col Anwer were also present at the hearing.

Drugs seized: Police claimed on Monday to have arrested five members of a gang trying to smuggle narcotics from the NWFP to the Punjab. It said 1.5 kilogram heroin, 9.2 kg hashish and 5 kg opium was recovered from the suspects.

According to the police, Rawalpindi-bound vehicles (RIP-4537, RPT-557, PRE-3619, PRE-5914 and PRE-4016) were stopped at the Attock Khurd check post and the contrabands recovered. Umer Khattab of Mardan, Ashraf Khan of Kharian, Abdul Manan of Afghanistan, Allah Khan of Peshawar and Abdullah of Jahangirah were arrested.

Attock Sadar police, too, claimed to have recovered 4 kg hashish from one Afsar Khan of Ghora Mar village.

Hasan Abdal police said they had arrested Ehsan Khan, a resident of Peshawar, and recovered 1 kg hashish from them.

Hasan Abdal City police arrested one Gul Karim and recovered fake currency notes of Rs5,000 denomination from his possession.