Pak appoints new judge to conduct 26/11 trial

Rezaul H Laskar and M Zulqernain
Islamabad, Oct 24 (PTI) A new judge was Saturday
appointed to conduct the crucial trial of seven key suspects
in the Mumbai terror attack case, replacing Judge Baqir Ali
Rana who asked to be taken off citing "security issues".

Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan of anti-terrorism
court replaced Rana on the orders of Chief Justice of the
Lahore High Court Khwaja Mohammad Sharif.
Rana was conducting in-camera the trial of the seven
suspects, who included senior Lashker-e-Taiba operatives
Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and Zarar Shah, in the high-security
Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
The Chief Justice issued the order following a request
from Rana to be taken off the case due to "security issues",
sources told PTI.
There were reports that Rana received threats from the
LeT because the suspects were indicted in the absence of their
lawyers during a hearing on October 10.
Rana was also reportedly unhappy about pressure from
the government regarding the case, sources said.
Though a hearing of the Mumbai attacks case was
scheduled for Saturday, there were no proceedings due to the
changing of the judge. The new judge will begin hearing the
case from October 31, sources said. MORE PTI RHL
ANU



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