Shahzeb Khan. PHOTO: FILE
The witnesses include four police officials and three other men, including Express News anchor Shahzeb Khanzada. According to the prosecutor Muntazir Mehdi, he gave up these names because their statements were more or less the same and their testimonies will not lend any support to the prosecution.
The anti-terrorism court also issued non-bailable warrants for two other witnesses, who were bound to appear before the court but failed to do so on Wednesday. The investigating officer informed the court that both the witnesses were out of the city.
Judge Ghulam Mustafa Memon was not satisfied with this excuse and called DIG South Shahid Hayat in person for further explanation.
Following court orders, DIG South appeared before the court and assured that court instructions would be strictly followed.
Memon also directed the Sindh IGP through a written letter to take personal interest in the case and direct his sub-ordinates to follow court orders. The judge issued a show-cause notice to the investigating officer for not producing the witnesses in the court. The officer will submit his reply at the next hearing.
Meanwhile, the counsel for defence presented the educational and other necessary documents that showed Shahrukh Jatoi, Sajjad and Siraj Talpur as educated men who pay their taxes so that they can qualify for B-class in jail.
The court ordered that all documents must be verified when the state counsel raised doubts over their authenticity.
Meanwhile, the counsel for a witness submitted powers in the case after he received a court notice for changing his statement.
The counsel requested the court allow time for them to submit a reply, to which the judge allowed one day. The other witness, who was also accused of deviating from his statements, has yet to receive any notice. The next hearing will take place today.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2013.
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'... Shahrukh Jatoi, Sajjad and Siraj Talpur as educated men who pay their taxes...' Laugh of the century....!!!
Now this is the true picture of Pakistan...! Hopeless as ever.
21 million karachites are witnesses to such violence!! Mr jatoi how many are u gonna take down??
I've heard anti-Gabol PAC hard-liners are supporting SRJ!
This case is THE LAST hope of justice for ordinary citizens in Pakistan
It surely looks an Interim Government and ostensibly an Independent Judiciary cannot manage a well investigated criminal case from going bad. Everybody and I mean everybody, including those who live in Westridge, Rawalpindi should resign, abdicate or whatever and leave Pakistan for GOOD. Its sickening to see how this case is going and its high time for investigating agencies to come into play and arrest all witnesses for perverting the course of justice and they too should be given the same punishment that the alleged criminals in this case were booked under. In the UK an ex-Minister and his wife have gone to jail for 6 years on offence of lying to save a driving ban for speeding. And in Pakistan criminals are going to go free. Shows where we stand among nations of the world and why we are despised by nations of the world.