The Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) has adjourned the hearing of Benazir Bhutto assassination case till June 21 and asked the prosecution to make sure the arrest of other accused, including Baitullah Mehsud and his four accomplices.
Anti-Terrorist Court No 1 Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman resumed the hearing of Benazir Bhutto assassination case here on Saturday, but the prosecution has failed to present complete charge-sheet of the case before the court. The counsel of teenager Aitzaz Shah has presented application in the court pleading that the accused is in early teens and has recently passed the class VIII examinations. He should be given special treatment and facilities, besides a separate trial.
The learned judge responded to the plea and asked the prosecution to submit a separate charge-sheet of Aitzaz Shah on next hearing fixed for June 21. The accused, including Rafaqat, Husnain, Aitzaz Shah, Qari Abdur Rasheed, and Sher Zaman were brought in the Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) in armoured vehicles and courts were cordoned by police commandos, Elite Force personnel and heavy contingents of police.
No person was even allowed passing through the area till the hearing was finished. The government has nominated Baitullah Mehsud, as mastermind in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and Liaqat Bagh suicide bombing of December 27, 2007, in which 26 people, including former premier Benazir Bhutto, were martyred.
It may be recalled that Chaudhry Habibur Rehman, judge of the Anti-Terrorist Court has already declared Baitullah Mehsud and his four accomplices, including Abdullah alias Saddam, Faiz Ahmed alias Kiscuit, Ikram alias Usman and Abadur Rehman as proclaimed offenders in Benazir Bhutto assassination in Liaqat Bagh suicide bombing.
While investigation team stated that the accused arrested in suicide bombings, including Hasnain Gul, Muhammad Rafaqat, Aitzaz Shah, Sher Zaman and Rasheed have confessed their involvement in a series of suicide bombings in Rawalpindi and they have also admitted that Baitullah Mehsud was the mastermind in these blasts, which included assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
Meanwhile, the family members of the accused in Benazir Bhutto assassination and Liaqat Bagh suicide bombing of December 27, 2007 have appealed to PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to hold impartial investigation of the incident so that their children would not be punished for the crime they did not commit.