MULTAN, Aug 10: Dera Ghazi Khan anti-terrorism court’s judge Malik Zulfiqar Ali on Saturday summoned three more court witnesses and as many defence witnesses in the under-trial Meerwala gang-rape case.

Those summoned as CWs are Muzaffargarh district Nazim Sultan Mahmood Hinjra, Dawn correspondent Nadeem Saeed and Jatoi police station’s Sub-Inspector Ashraf. Sultan Hinjra had already appeared before the Dera ATC as CW1 in the case.

Among the summoned DWs are Jatoi police station’s Muharrar, accused Abdul Khaliq Mastoi’s maternal uncle Ghulam Husain and his paternal cousin Fayyaz Husain. Both the CWs and the DWs have been called on the request of the defence.

Sultan Hinjra (CW1) has been recalled in connection with his interview published in a local Urdu daily on Aug 2 last in which he claimed the women had never turned up to the Panchayats under the local traditions to seek pardon.

This correspondent has been summoned to verify one of his dispatches published in Dawn on July 12 last under the caption ‘police, feudal trying to save chief juror’.

Quoting gang-rape victim’s brother Hazoor Bakhsh, the report said the police had arrested one Fayyaz Husain of Dunni (Rampur village) instead of actual rapist Fayyaz Husain of Meerwala.

Sub-Inspector Ashraf has reportedly been called to explain why the arrested Fayyaz was brought out of the jail on July 14 last on two-day remand in police custody in a case registered on Feb 10 last under section 458 and 380 against some unidentified people.

The Muharrar of the Jatoi police station would bring with him an alleged report recorded against Maulvi Abdul Razzaq (PW) on March 26 last during Muharram for the latter’s alleged link with the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan.

While DWs, Ghulam Husain and Fayyaz Husain, have been called because the defence in the Meerwala case has claimed that they were the witnesses to the Sharae Nikah of Mukhtaran bibi and accused Abdul Khaliq.

All the CWs and DWs have been directed to appear before the court on Aug 15 (Thursday).

DIES: A woman, who was burnt allegedly by her husband and mother-in-law on July 29, dies at the Nishtar Hospital on Saturday.