Trial of suspects in 26/11 case adjourned for 7 days in Pak

Rezaul H Laskar and M Zulqernain
Islamabad/Lahore, Apr 17 (PTI) The trial of LeT's
operations chief Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six others charged
with involvement in the Mumbai attacks was today adjourned for
a week in a Pakistani anti-terrorism court as the judge was on
leave.
Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan of the anti-terrorism
court, who is conducting the trial within Rawalpindi's Adiala
Jail due to security concerns, was on leave for unspecified
reasons, two defence lawyers told PTI.
The trial had been put off till April 24, the lawyers
said.
The trial of the seven suspects – Lakhvi, Zarar Shah,
Hamad Amin Sadiq, Abu al-Qama, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Jamil Ahmed
and Younas Anjum – began almost a year ago but has been mired
in controversy and delays over the past few months.
The proceedings of the anti-terrorism court have been
affected by several recent rulings by the Lahore High Court,
where the defence lawyers had filed a slew of petitions
seeking the acquittal of the suspects.
In an order issued on March 9, the Lahore High Court said
the confession of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone attacker arrested
alive by Indian authorities during the 2008 Mumbai attacks,
could not be used against the accused in Pakistan.
It also ruled that the trial of Kasab and Fahim Ansari,
another suspect arrested by Indian authorities, could not be
separated from the trial of the seven Pakistani suspects.
Subsequently, Lakhvi filed another petition in the
Supreme Court seeking his acquittal.
Lakhvi contended in his petition that the prosecution
had no evidence against him besides Kasab's confession, which
the LeT commander pointed out had been retracted.
On the other hand, the prosecution has filed a petition
in the Lahore High Court to challenge the anti-terrorism
court's decision not to declare Kasab and Ansari as
"proclaimed offenders" or fugitives.
Members of the prosecution team say it is necessary for
Kasab to be declared a fugitive so that his confession can
be used in a Pakistani court.
The seven Pakistani suspects have been booked under the
Pakistan Penal Code, Anti-Terrorism Act and a cyber crimes
law.
They have been charged with planning and facilitating
the Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. PTI RHL
DDC