HYDERABAD, Oct 20: Former SHO police station Umer Ahmedani recorded his statement before the Judicial Magistrate-I on Saturday in the case (of arms ordinance) of hijacking of a PIA aeroplane.

The court has issued notices to the then deputy commissioner, Hyderabad, Sohail Akbar Shah, ASP Usman Anwar, and a major of a secret agency for recording their statement.

It may be recalled that three hijackers — Shabbir, Sabir and Shahsawar — had hijacked the aeroplane on May 24, 1998 while it was on its way to Karachi via Gwadar. The plane took off from Gwadar from where the hijackers had boarded the plane. The pilot, Uzair Khan, was asked by the hijackers to head towards India. He had, however, landed the plane at Hyderabad airport duping the hijackers that they had reached the Bhuj airfield in India.

All the hijackers were arrested following an operation that brought the hijacking drama to an end without causing any bloodshed.

Alongwith the main case, police had lodged a separate case of arms ordinance as two of the hijackers were found possessing unlicensed pistols.

The hijackers had been awarded capital punishment by the ATC Court and the Sindh High Court had confirmed their sentence as well.

Their appeal before the Supreme Court was also rejected. Now they have sent an appeal for clemency to the president of Pakistan.

The hijackers are presently being kept in the central jail, Hyderabad.