KARACHI, Sept 18: The Additional District and Sessions Judge-II, Central, Nilofer Shahnawaz Azimi, on Tuesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for eight police officials who have not been appearing in court for the past five years to testify as prosecution witnesses in a road accident in which two girl students were killed and many others injured in the limits of the Sharifabad police station on Feb 19, 2002.

According to the prosecution, the driver of a public transport bus of route No 5-C bearing registration No JA 5983, while racing with another bus, lost control and crushed to death two intermediate students, Nida Afzaal and Ravia Beenish, of the APWA College, Karimabad.

The other students of the same institution who were injured include Naheed Rehman, Gauhar Aftab, Shahida, Arsha, Madeeha, Sabeeha and Nargis.

The driver, Mohammad Munawwar, and the owner of the vehicle, Mohammad Ibrahim, were arrested on the spot, and a case (FIR No 054/2002) was registered against them at the Sharifabad police station under Sections 320, 322 and 337 of the PPC. They were later released on bail.

The police officials include the investigation officer, inspector Suhail Ahmed, assistant sub-inspector Mir Mohammad (traffic section), assistant sub-inspector Irfan, assistant sub-inspector Ghulam Hussain, sub-inspector Zafar Iqbal, motor vehicle inspector Mohammad Jamil and constable Zahoor (traffic section), who are stated to be prosecution witnesses and have not been appearing in court.

Judges in different periods have complained to the high-ups of the police department more than 25 times to ensure the appearance of the witnesses in the case, but to no avail.

The ADJ, through a letter, asked the Sindh home secretary to ensure the appearance of the police officials on Sept 24, scheduled as the next day of the hearing.

Court sources told Dawn that the accused driver, the owner of the bus and the relatives of the victims have been attending court regularly on the hearing days, but due to the continuous absence of the police personnel the case could not be processed further.