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WEEKLY
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| Attempt-to-murder Zardari case |
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Arrest warrants issued against Najaf Mirza
Sunday, July 05, 2009
By Shamim Bano
Karachi
Additional District and Sessions Judge Nizar Ali Khawaja issued arrest warrants against an accused in the Asif Ali Zardari torture case and dismissed his bail application for non-prosecution on Saturday.
Najaf Mirza, one of the accused in the attempt to murder Asif Ali Zardari case, had filed a bail application through his counsel, Barrister Zameer Ghumro.
Barrister Ghumro submitted before the court at the last hearing that he will provide documentary evidence that his client was absent from duty on the day of the incident. When the case came up for hearing on Saturday, a junior lawyer told the court that the defence counsel was ill and could not attend proceedings, to which the judge showed annoyance and said that he had seen the barrister in the court corridors so he had to personally appear in the court.
After few minutes, Barrister Ghumro appeared in the court and said that his client had no trust in the court. The judge said that he should submit such a complaint in writing. Later, an unknown lawyer appeared on his behalf and submitted the application. The judge turned down his application, saying that he did not recognize him and that the defence counsel should personally appear and submit the application.
Barrister Zameer and the accused, however, did not appear in the court. The judge dismissed Mirza’s bail application for non-prosecution and issued arrest warrants against him. The court adjourned the hearing till July 25, when the main case will also be heard.
According to the prosecution, the accused had “unlawfully” obtained the physical custody of Asif Ali Zardari from an Anti-Terrorism Court on the night of between May 15, 1999, and took him from the central prison to the CIA Centre, where he was tortured and forced to record incriminatory statements.
Zardari suffered injuries on his tongue and other parts of his body due to the torture, while the police refused to register an FIR against the police officials, attributing the incident to Zardari’s bid to commit suicide.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
