KARACHI, Jan 7: The anti-terrorism court No 1 on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the US consulate carbombing case against three leaders of the banned Harkatul Mujahideen Al-Aalmi.
Judge Aley Maqbool Rizvi, who is holding the trial on the premises of the Central Prison, fixed Jan 13 for recording the statements of the prosecution witnesses after a notification regarding appointment of a four-member team of prosecutors was placed before the court.
The team, headed by Sindh advocate-general Anwer Mansoor Khan, appeared before the court. The other prosecutors are assistant advocate-general Habib Ahmed, Maula Bux Bhatti and Abdul Waheed Khan.
The self-styled chief of his own faction of the banned organization, Mohammed Imran, his deputy Mohammed Ashraf, and finance secretary Mohammed Hanif are being prosecuted for their alleged involvement in the US consulate carbombing, which had killed 12 people, including five women, and injured 43 others. They are facing the charges under sections 302, 324,427 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code, section 3/4 of the Explosive Act and section 7-B of the Anti-terrorist Act.
The Civil Lines police have cited 50 prosecution witnesses in the case.
BOMB BLAST CASE: Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2 adjourned the hearing of a bomb blast case against a worker of the banned Harkatul Mujahideen Al-Aalmi.
The judge, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, fixed Wednesday for the next hearing after recording the statements of two more prosecution witnesses.
Mohammed Ahmed Daniyal was charged with planting two explosive devices in a building where members of a sectarian community were holding a function. One of the devices exploded, injuring a few people and damaging some motorcycles.
The Pirabad police had initially registered the case against unknown culprits on Dec 13, 2001.
According to the prosecution, the Harkat worker, arrested on July 16, 2002, had disclosed his involvement in the bomb blast.
Special public prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum examined Zafar Baig, the complainant, and Mohammed Yousuf Hussain as prosecution witnesses, who were also cross-examined by defence counsel Abdul Wahid Katpur.
CORRUPTION CASE: An accountability court adjourned the hearing of a corruption reference against Javed Burki, a former federal secretary and ex chief of the Pakistan Automobile Corporation (PACO) and another accused till 14th.
Judge Mohammed Jawaid Alam of AC-4 ordered the prosecution agency to produce Mr Burki and co-accused Muzzamil Niazi, former managing-director of the PACO, before the court on the next date of hearing.
The former PACO chairman, arrested a couple of days ago on corruption charges, was sent to the judicial custody by the judge on Dec 21.
The prosecution informed the court that co-accused Niazi could not be produced as he was still hospitalized.
The reference against the accused, filed by the NAB on Dec 20, pertained to embezzlement of huge funds in the supply of trucks to the Pakistan Army.
The accused were charged with causing huge financial losses to the PACO, which was ultimately closed down in 1997. Besides, the financial investment of the Pakistan Army in the project allegedly went down the drain.
PSO MD MURDER CASE: The ATC-4, headed by Judge Khan Pervaiz Chang, adjourned till Wednesday the hearing of the Shaukat Mirza murder case against the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi chief Akram Lahori and two others after recording the statements of two prosecution witnesses.
Lahori, Ataullah and Azam are being tried for allegedly killing the PSO managing director on July 26, 2001, within the limits of Frere police.
Special public prosecutor Maula Bux Bhatti examined Mohammed Salim and sub-inspector Nazeer Hussain as prosecution witnesses, who were also cross-examined by Mohammed Ashraf Mughul, the pauper advocate provided to the accused on state expenses.
The trial is being held in the courtroom at the Juvenile Jail.
ACQUITTED: The additional district and sessions judge, West, Mrs Akhtar A. Chaudhry, acquitted two men, prosecuted for committing robbery and shootout with a police party.
Qadir Zaman and Mohammed Ilyas were prosecuted for looting Rs430,000 from Haji Wazir Khan at gunpoint on Aug 30, 1996, in Orangi while the victim was returning after drawing the cash from a bank.
Meanwhile, the additional district and sessions judge, East, Syed Sagher Zaidi, acquitted Mohammad Khan, a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, in a case pertaining to possession of an unlicensed AK-47 assault rifle, as the prosecution could not establish its case.