Sharif lawyers seek Army panel's report

KARACHI, JAN. 28. Lawyers defending Pakistan's deposed Prime Minister, Mr. Nawaz Sharif, today asked the court to make available the records of a military inquiry panel which questioned witnesses and the accused.

``If it was an inquiry other than the trial...It is our (defence) legal right to demand the records,'' Mr. Sharif's counsel, Mr.Ijaz Batalvi, told the court after moving an application to obtain them.

The anti-terrorism court Judge, Mr.Rehmat Hussain Jafri, adjourned the proceedings, saying he would give a ruling on the application tomorrow.

The matter arose during cross examination by the defence of a prosecution witness, former Karachi police chief, Mr.Mohammad Akbar, who said that he was questioned by a military ``board of inquiry'' which was presided over by an army Major- General.

Mr.Akbar said the inquiry was conducted at the Malir cantonment where he also saw prosecution witness, Mr.Aminullah Chaudhry, former chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, and one of the main accused, Mr. Syed Ghaus Ali Shah, an adviser to Mr.Sharif on Sindh province.

The prosecution lawyers told the court that they had no knowledge or possession of the statements given by witnesses or accused to the so-called board of inquiry. ``Does this mean that the inquiry was an extra-judicial inquiry and if this is the case why are we here? we should go to an army court,'' Mr.Batalvi argued.

The defence pointed out that a representative from the army's legal department -Judge advocate general Branch - was sitting with the prosecution and if he was part of the prosecution team he should be able to provide details of the inquiry.

The trial is being heard by an anti-terrorism court whose brief is to dispense justice within a week, but lawyers said so much evidence and so many witnesses could be called that it would inevitably overrun.

- Reuters

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Section  : International
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