KARACHI, Feb 19: The prosecution in a sectarian killing case against the chief of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi and his two associates closed on Wednesday its side with the deposition of the investigation officer before an anti-terrorism court.

Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, Karachi, fixed Thursday for the statement of the three defendants after the prosecution examined the investigation officer as its last witness.

Akram Lahori, Mohammed Azam and Ataullah are being tried for killing Dr Syed Aley Safdar Zaidi of the Kidney Centre on March 4, 2002.

The doctor was on his way to the hospital from his Gizri residence when two motorcyclists opened fire on his car (ABU-495) as he stopped at a signal near Sultan Masjid. He died on the spot.