Mumbai attacks case: Prosecutor’s absence delays trial

The new prosecutor cites‘threats to his life’.

ISLAMABAD: The new prosecutor in the Mumbai attacks case, Chaudhry Azhar, is reluctant to appear before the trial court, citing ‘threats to his life’.

Azhar was appointed following the murder of his predecessor Chaudhry Zulfiqar who was also pursuing other high-profile cases, including Benazir Bhutto assassination case and Hajj corruption case, since 2008.

Azhar was also absent from the hearing of Benazir murder case in Rawalpindi’s Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) for security concerns.

On Saturday, cross-examination of four witnesses was due in the Mumbai attacks case – but neither the prosecutor nor the witnesses showed up.

The witnesses were supposed to come for hearing but due to Azhar’s absence they were also facing problems, said Advocate Riaz Akram Cheema, one of the defence counsels.

Azhar told The Express Tribune that after the killing of his predecessor he was also receiving life threats and it was difficult for him to appear before the courts without security.

He added that the Rawalpindi police chief assured him of security from the airport to the court which, according to Azhar, was not adequate.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2013.