Mumbai attacks trial: Pakistan court adjourns hearing till Oct 15

Lahore, Oct 1: A Pakistani anti-terrorism court trying the seven accused in the 2008 Mumbai attacks case today adjourned the hearing till October 15 as the judge was on leave.

The court sources told PTI that Anti-Terrorism Court Rawalpindi Judge Attiquer Rehman was on leave for some 'personal reason'.

"Next Wednesday falls in Eidul Azha holidays, therefore the court office adjourned the hearing till October 15," they said.

The ATC Rawalpindi in its last Wednesday's hearing had reserved verdict on the application of the prosecution lawyers that the trial should be held through a video-link or allow the witnesses to submit their recorded statements in the court.

The judge directed the prosecution lawyers to present the witnesses on next hearings. The defence lawyers had strongly opposed the prosecution's plea.

"This is a sensitive and in camera trial. The court proceedings will be accessible to many if it is allowed to be held through a video-link," the defence lawyers said.

"How can the court trust witnesses statements in a CD form? It can easily be tampered with and in no way will be admissible in the court. Therefore, the court should reject the prosecution's plea in this regard," the lawyers argued.

Earlier, the prosecution lawyers had drawn the court's attention to ensure their and witnesses security in the face of threats they received allegedly from the Jamaat-ud-Dawah activists.

LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Anjum have been charged with planning, financing and executing the attacks in India's financial capital that killed 166 people in November, 2008.

PTI