Mumbai attacks case: Accused directed to provide details of defence lawyers
An anti-terrorism court, currently hearing the Mumbai attacks case, has directed the arrested suspects to provide names and particulars of their lawyers who, along with a judicial commission, will travel to India to record statements of Indian officials.
The accused include alleged mastermind of the 2008 terrorist attacks Zakiur-Rehman Lakhvi, Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid.
While conducting the trial in Adiala Jail, ATC-I Special Judge Shahid Rafique gave the accused a two-day deadline to provide the particulars, after the federal government endorsed the judicial commission appointed by the Mumbai High Court.
The court will again take up the case on December 17.
The government issued a notification on December 9, endorsing Mumbai chief metropolitan magistrate SS Shanda as the head of the joint judicial commission, following his nomination by the Mumbai High Court.
In earlier proceedings, special public prosecutor of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) produced the notification before the court and asked that the accused men be directed to provide the names and other particulars of their lawyers.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2011.
COMMENTS (3)
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Pakistan has put together an unworkable structure --- what's the upside for the accused to cooperate in this investigation -- they know that Pakistan won't do anything harmful to them if they don't cooperate. . Pakistan should have selected individuals who are not associated with the accused -- then allowed the accused to have their attorney's observe the process if they wanted -- if there is sufficient evidence against the accused their attorneys will eventually get their day in court.
The Pakistani civilian government is making an effort to cooperate with India. If the accused suspects are intransigent and try to delay the procedure, there's not much the judiciary can do. India is under enormous scrutiny, as the world will keep an eye on the trial.
Establishments in both countries are not sincere with peace process .The two nation must understand their tactics.