Babar Awan contempt case: Hearing adjourns till Feb.20

TrendPK.com
ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) adjourned the contempt case hearing against former Federal Law Minister Babar Awan till February 20.

Babar Awan said his statement was not intended to subject the court to ridicule, pleading the court to adjourn the case hearing as his counsel Ali Zafar is abroad.

The three-judge SC bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, granting Babar’s plea, adjourned the hearing till February 20.

During the previous hearing, Ramzan Chaudhry, an associate of Babar Awan, appearing before the court on Awan’s part, said that the PPP leader is in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and would return on February 3.

Awan’s counsel Chaudhry requested the court to give Babar Awan further time to submit his reply against the notice. The court accepting the plea, adjourned the hearing until February 9 (today).

It should be mentioned here Babar Awan Babar addressed a press conference against the court’s December 1, 2011, order on the memogate case. TrendPK

Qadri got himself in Taseer’s security: witness

RAWALPINDI: An Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) Saturday had statements of three more witnesses recorded and later adjourned the hearing till April 2.

Judge of the special court, Raja Akhlaq heard the case of accused Mumtaz Qadri in Adiala Jail.

During the trial, statements of three policemen were recorded.

Umer Farooq, the policeman who served as Duty Head Mohrar in his statement recorded by the court said Mumtaz Qadri was made part of Governor Punjab’s security detail on his (Qadri’s) insistence.

Blasphemy law: Taseer murder trial deferred

RAWALPINDI: A trial court recorded statements of two more witnesses and adjourned on Saturday the hearing of the murder case of the former governor of Punjab, Salmaan Taseer, till March 26.

The witnesses who recorded their statements were identified as a police draftsman Khurram Shahzad and sub-inspector Muhammad Gulfraz. The case is being heard at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

Khurram Shahzad told the court about the crime scene and the exact spot where Taseer was assassinated in Sector F-6/4 Kohsar Market on January 4. Subsequently, the sub-inspector told the court about the details of the post-mortem report which was carried out at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

According to the report, governor was shot from behind and there were 26 entry and 14 exit wounds on his body. He was shot from a distance of between four and five feet. The autopsy report also said that the governor’s death had occurred because of a bullet which was lodged in his neck, adding that his heart had remained safe.

On February 26, Malik Mumtaz Qadri, the self-confessed killer of the former Punjab governor, had started after four persons, including CMO of the Federal Government Services Hospital (Polyclinic) Dr Muhammad Arshad, Assistant Sub-Inspector Iftikhar Ali and constable Abdul Raheem of the Koshar police station recorded their statements.

Taseer’s son Shehryar had stated in the FIR that his father was assassinated on the persuasion of certain political and religious groups.

Lawyers defending the self-confessed killer appeared before the court along with Qadri’s father, Bashir Awan, and his brother, Dilpazir.

The former governor’s sister-in-law, Ayesha Tammy Haq also attended the hearing,

Earlier, the police had submitted a three-page charge-sheet in which Qadri was booked under Sections 7 of the Anti Terrorism Act and 302/109 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Taseer’s son Shehryar Taseer. Hundreds of Qadri supporters were also present outside the Adiala jail to express solidarity with him.

Diplomatic immunity law: notice issued to federal govt

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court issued the notice to the federal government over Diplomatic and Consular Privileges Act 1972, TrendPK.com reported.

A petition has been filed against the law. The CJ LHC Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry refused to summon former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi saying its too early to call him at the moment.

The petitioner Azhar Siddiqui pleaded that no law gives diplomats license to kill. Later, the court adjourned the hearing till 14th March.

ATC issues non-bailable warrant against Musharraf

RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former President Pervez Musharraf in Benazir Bhutto’s assassination case.

ATC Judge Rana Nisar Ahmed Khan conducted the hearing into the case at Adiyala Jail.

Prior to the hearing, police produced accused, Aitzaz Shah, Abdul Rashid, Husnain Gul, Rafaqat, Sherzaman, Saud Aziz and Khurram Shehzad in the court.

The FIA pleaded for non-bailable arrest warrant against Pervez Musharraf, arguing the former president has been named as accused in the interim chalan presented to the court. FIA said that attempt was made to involve Musharraf into the probe, but he is not available.

Accepting the plea, the court issued non-bailable warrant against Musharraf.

According to an FIA spokesman, the head of a team probing Benazir Bhutto assassination case and Mumbai attacks, Khalid Qureshi has been replaced with Wajid Zia. TrendPK

Hajj scam: SC asks Govt to pull DG FIA out of probe

Expressing dissatisfaction over the probe being conducted by FIA, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the government to remove DG FIA Wseem Ahmed, who is alleged of influencing the Hajj corruption scandal probe, trendpk.com reported.

During the hearing of a suo moto notice of Hajj corruption scam, Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday maintained, The court is fed up of the way the case is being probed.

While Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry observed that Interior Minister Rehman Malik has told the court that he has the discretionary power to exclude any name from the Exit Control List (ECL) whereas the power resides with the Interior Secretary. DG FIA Waseem Ahmed told the court that he has written to the government to exclude him from the ongoing investigation into the Hajj corruption. In the meantime, former federal minister Azam Swati has also submitted more evidence into the apex court and expressed dissatisfaction with the FIA probe. The court subsequently adjourned the hearing to January 20.

Shahzain Bugti bail plea hearing put off

QUETTA: Balcohistan High Court (BHC) adjourned on Tuesday the hearing of a bail plea filed by detained Baloch leader Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti in illegal arms case.

The court will now resume the hearing on Wednesday.

The counsel for Jamhori Watan Party (JWP) leader Shahzain Bugti had submitted the bail plea in BHC on Monday.

During the hearing, Prosecutor General sought more time to study the case, saying he did not get the relevant record.

The court then adjourned the hearing for one day.

Later, Bugti’s lawyer told newsmen that his client is a patient of blood pressure and that his bail denial could pose a life threat. TrendPK

Butt Faced Tough Cross-Examination In ICC Hearing

Pakistani players are in Doha to defend the allegation of fixing against them. During the hearing of ICC former Pakistani Captain Salman Butt was having tough time on third day. First his own lawyer examined him and clear things to tribunal. After that he was cross-examined by the lawyers of ICC. He was having tough time in the hearing due to tough cross-examination.

According to reports he was examined and questioned by the money found from his hotel room. Sources said that Butt has also presented an agreement with Shoe Company. Observers of the hearing said that it was tough examination of Salman Butt.

Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Amir Chances to have such tough examination also increase. It is also said that Butt spent whole third day in cross examination and it was really tough for him.

On Friday two Pakistani captains Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis has also recorded their statements to ICC. Butt was relaxed after the day’s hearing and came out with his lawyer more relaxed then previous day. It is still not confirm weather Butt’s cross-examination will continue tomorrow or it will be ended.

Fourth day will be important for Salman Butt and other two Pakistani players. The hearing will continue till 11th January and will decide the future of three Pakistani players.

SC grants more time to uncover irregularities in RPPs

The Supreme Court has granted one month time to uncover the irregularities in the Guddu and Nodero-2 Rental Projects. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said that action should be taken if investment of billions of rupees goes withered.

In the hearing of suo moto case about rental power projects, NEPRA lawyer Najmul Hassan Kazmi said that 8 projects were already revoked while notices have been sent to companies concerned to end two more projects. The CJP said that WAPDA and PEPCO should take back the money provided to launch the rental power projects. The hearing was adjourned till January 13, 2011.

WikiLeaks’ Assange released on bail

LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, arrested in Britain on Swedish allegations of sex crimes, was freed on bail by a British court on Tuesday.

Judge Howard Riddle granted him bail with conditions until another hearing on Jan. 11.

The 39-year-old Australian, whose website has provoked U.S. fury by publishing some of a trove of 250,000 classified U.S. diplomatic papers, was accused this year of sexual misconduct by two female Swedish WikiLeaks volunteers during a stay in Sweden.

Assange denies the allegations and is fighting Swedish attempts to extradite him. AGENCIES

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