SHC calls progress report in Allama Hasan Turabi assassination case

KARACHI (PPI): Sindh High Court Tuesday directed Deputy Prosecutor General Sindh to submit jail authorities comments and progress report in Allama Hasan Turabi assassination case. A division bench comprising Justice Mushir Alam & Justice Muhammad Athar Saeed passed order on petition of six defendants seeking open trials of Allama Hasan Turabi assassination case. Mohammad Amin alias Khalid Shaheen, Sultan Mehmood alias Saifullah, Mohammad Rehman alias Mani, Ashfaq Qureshi, Mohammad Akbar Khan, Raheemullah were charged with masterminding suicide attack to kill Chief of Pakistan Islami Tehrik & Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal leader Hasan Turabi on July 14, 2006 outside his house in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi. They were also charged with grooming suicide bomber for executing plan & being tried by Anti-Terrorism Court Karachi inside prison due to security reasons. Their counsel submitted trial against defendants was pending for last three years, but trial court examined only 10 prosecution witnesses, out of 57, so far. He said trial against his client seemed to be held in-camera as their relatives was disallowed from observe proceedings. Prosecution witnesses were also facing hardship due to inside-prison trial. Counsel stated open trial was right of defendants envisaged in criminal procedure code. He prayed to issue directions for open trial in ATC instead of trial inside prison. SHC division bench said in its order: "Deputy Prosecutor General Sohail Jabbar is directed to call comments from jail authorities and progress in case. Hearing adjourned to date in office."