PESHAWAR, Oct 24: The trial of eight western aid workers, facing charges of proselytising Afghan Muslims, has not been making any headway as the Chief Justice of Afghan Supreme Court, Maulvi Noor Muhammad Saqib is at present engaged in his assignment as member of the war council.

It is learnt that the counsel of the aid workers, Atif Ali Khan, has returned from Kabul here Tuesday night, with the report that there is no noteworthy progress in the case.

Mr Khan had left for Kabul on Sunday and after spending two days there he came back. He has already submitted written reply on behalf of the aid workers — two Americans, two Australians and four Germans — during his previous visit to Kabul and has now been waiting for any contact from the chief justice.

A source privy to the whole case told Dawn that after the start of the US air strikes against Afghanistan, the chief justice got engaged in the affairs of the war council due to which he had no spare time for the trial.

It is learnt that the statement of US president, George W. Bush asking the Taliban to release the aid workers, has also irked the Taliban high-ups, which has also affected the pace of the trial.

The counsel was very much hopeful about the fate of the aid workers after he met the officials of the supreme court and the aid workers in Kabul, the sources said.

They claimed that the counsel believed that even if the workers were convicted they would be sentenced to much lesser punishment.

The chief justice, after receiving the written reply, had asked the counsel that they would let him know if he was required in Kabul. However, Mr Khan considered it appropriate to visit Kabul so that the case could be expedited.

Mr Khan was not available at his chamber for comments on the case.

The aid workers, belonging to Shelter Now International (SNI), were arrested in August on charges of preaching Christianity.