PESHAWAR, Nov 24: A trial court in Abbotabad issued arrest warrants of four officials of customs department as they had not been appearing before the court for the last more than a year.

Due to non-appearance of the four officials, trial of an accused in a narcotics case, arrested in 1997, could not be concluded.

The court of additional district and sessions judge, Zaffar Iqbal, on Saturday sent a copy of his order to the collector customs, with the directives to stop the salaries of the four officials.

The court directed the senior superintendent of police, Peshawar, to make sure the arrest and production of the four officers before the court on next hearing.

The officials are: Nizamuddin, an inspector, Atta Muhammad, investigation officer, Muhammad Ashiq, in-charge of the warehouse, and Gul Muhammad, a deputy superintendent.

The accused, Muhammad Hussain, was arrested along with the prime accused, Niaz Ali, on June 28, 1997, near Havelian Bridge by the customs officials. They were travelling in a Pajero (PRP 151). The officials claimed of recovering 75kg of heroin from the vehicle.

The accused were charged both under the customs act and the control of narcotics substance act. Under the customs act, their trial was conducted by the special judge customs, who convicted them on June 18, 1998. They were sentenced to four years imprisonment with a fine of Rs1,00,000.

Both the accused had been facing trial under the control of narcotics substance act before the court of additional district and sessions judge, when the prime accused, Niaz Ali, escaped from the premises of a court in Mardan where he was taken to appear in another case. Now, the accused, Muhammad Hussain, has been facing trial but since last year the customs officials, who are prosecution witnesses in the case, have not been appearing despite repeated notices. It is learnt that the officials failed to appear during last 20 hearings.