KARACHI, Nov 14: An anti-terrorism court deferred on Tuesday judgment in the hostage-taking case against former Balochistan chief minister Sardar Akhtar Mengal and his four servants.

Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 fixed Nov 25 for the pronouncement of judgement on the request of the defence counsel, Wahab Baloch.

The defence counsel submitted before the court that a matter relating to the instant case was still pending decision before the Sindh High Court.

The former Balochistan chief minister has been declared a proclaimed offender in the case while his four servants have been prosecuted for making two army intelligence operators hostage.

Complainant Havildar Qurban Hussain of the Military Intelligence alleged that on April 5 he, along with his colleague Lance Naik Fayyaz Ahmed, was on duty on Khayaban-i-Shamsheer, Saba Commercial Area, when Nasarullah Mengal, Ghulam Hyder Langah alias Chappar, Mehboob Ali Satti and Ghulam Qadir kidnapped them and made them hostage on April 5.

It was alleged that Sardar Akhtar Mengal kidnapped the army personnel with an intention to kill them when army personnel were going to their intelligence duty.

Complainant Qurban Hussain submitted in his FIR that they were made hostage at the DHA residence of Sardar Akhtar Mengal for two hours and were subjected to torture.

The complainant alleged that around 7:55am Sardar Akhter Mengal came out of his bungalow and ordered his servants to take them inside the bungalow where they were beaten up. The servants also allegedly snatched money from them, national identity cards and service cards.

The police arrested the four servants on April 8.

RANSOM CASE: Administrative judge of anti terrorism courts directed the investigation officer to complete investigation of a kidnapping for ransom case against a suspect and submit final charge-sheet on Nov 21, PPI adds.

Fida Hussain Mir Jatt is charged with kidnapping Osama Zafar and Junaid Zafar for ransom from Mubina Town on Nov 9, 2002.

Police said that the accused released the abductee after keeping them in confinement for one-and-a-half month and receiving Rs300,000 as ransom. The accused who was arrested in some other case admitted his involvement in said matter.

Co-accused Ali Khoso has been killed in police encounter while two co-accused Rano Chano and Mutla were still at large.

The investigation officer of the case sought time to submit final report as identification parade of the accused could not be conducted.

AJ Justice Khilji Arif Hussain of Sindh High Court, granting time directed the investigation officer to complete investigation and submit report on Nov 21.—PPI