Pak court adjourns hearing against Mumbai attack accused

Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Dec 19 (PTI) A Pakistani anti-terror court
Saturday adjourned till December 24 proceedings against seven
suspects, including Lashker-e-Taiba commander Zakiur Rehman
Lakhvi, charged with involvement in the terror attacks which
rocked India's commercial hub Mumbai last year.

The accused have filed four applications challenging
their indictment and seeking their acquittal.
Anti-terror court Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan, who
is conducting proceedings in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail for
security reasons, Saturday heard arguments by prosecution and
defence lawyers on these applications.
Khwaja Sultan, the lawyer for Lakhvi, told PTI that
both sides had completed their arguments and the court is
expected to rule on the applications at the next hearing on
December 24.
The defence lawyers also raised the issue of Ajmal
Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested for the Mumbai
attacks, making a complete retraction of his confession on
participating in the assault.
Kasab retracted his confession in a court in Mumbai
Friday.
Sultan said Kasab's confession could no longer be used
to frame charges against the accused in the Pakistani
anti-terror court as he had retracted it.
The accused, in their applications, have also
challenged the Pakistani court’s decision to separate their
trial from that of Kasab. (MORE) PTI RHL
ANU



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