ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: The defence counsel for ARD president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi on Saturday ended boycott of court proceedings and moved an application for summoning prosecution witnesses for cross-examination.

Defence counsel Naeem Yar Gondal told Dawn that the Islamabad district and sessions judge had fixed Feb 28 for deciding on the application, after the prosecution had raised objections on it.

Mr Gondal said that under instructions from PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif they had decided to join court proceedings being held in camera in the Adiala Jail.

The court recorded evidence of two more prosecution witnesses: Magistrate Amir Saleem Rana and FIA's hand-writing expert Shaukat Ali.

Mr Gondal said the hand-writing expert informed the court that the military monogram inscribed on the letter head, the contents of which were read out by Mr Hashmi at a press conference on Oct 20, was fake.

About his application, the counsel said since the testimony of all the 14 prosecution witnesses had been recorded by the court in the absence of the defence, it was necessary that the court should afford the defence an opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses.