KARACHI, Nov 7: A bench of the Sindh High Court put off on Thursday the hearing of a criminal miscellaneous application filed by DSP Tasarrud Mehmood of the Central Investigation Department, investigation officer of the killing of seven Christians case in Sept.

The bench comprised Justice Ataur Rahman.

The applicant moved the court through the advocate-general Sindh.

AAG Habib Ahmed, appearing for the state/applicant, submitted that the IO had got some information that millions of rupees were lying in the account of Idara-i-Amn-o-Insaf, an NGO, whose seven men were shot dead in Sept by unidentified. The IO sought permission/direction from the court to Standard Chartered Bank and Muslim Commercial Bank to disclose the details of the accounts maintained by the NGO with them.

On a query by the court, the AAG relied on the recent issue of a local weekly. He submitted that it was a serious case involving the murder of seven persons and unless such details were disclosed the case would remain a mystery.

Raza Hashmi, advocate, counsel for Standard Chartered Bank, submitted that banks and financial institutions could not be asked to furnish details of account maintained by their customers to any one, including the state authorities.

The judge, however, after detailed hearing, put off further proceedings to Nov 19 asking the applicant to come up with proof/documentary evidence.

Another bench of the SHC, consisting of Justice Wahid Bux Brohi and Justice Rehmat Husain Jafri, dismissed a criminal acquittal appeal filed by the state against the acquittal of alleged terrorists Asif Ramzi, Dilawar alias Dildar and Rasheed Ahmed of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi.

The appeal was directed against the acquittal of the accused in the murder case of Imtiaz and Abbas who were gunned down in March 2000 in the police limits of Joharabad.

When the case was called the AAG, appearing for the state, was not present upon which the bench dismissed the appeal for non-prosecution.

petition withdrawn: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal candidate from NA-255 Karachi, Aslam Mujahid, withdrew on Thursday his petition in the Sindh High Court in which he had challenged the decision of the Election Commission to declare the Mohajir Qaumi Movement candidate, Mahmood Ahmed Qureshi, the winner.

Junaid Farooqui, counsel for Mr Mujahid, submitted before a division bench, comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Syed Ali Aslam Jafri, that his client wanted to file petition before election tribunal.— APP/PPI