Pak court summons those who sold boat

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court conducting the trial of seven men charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks Saturday issued summons to six witnesses for selling a boat and other equipment to the accused.

Judge Chaudhry Habib-ur-Rehman,who is conducting the trial behind closed doors at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi for security reasons,issued the summons to Hamza Bin Tariq,Umer Draz,Muhammad Ali,Mohammad Saifullah,Saqib Iqbal and Atiq Ahmed,the prosecutors said. “The accused had bought the boat,an engine and related equipment from these private witnesses,” chief prosecutor Chaudhry Zulifqar Ali said.

He said since Indian authorities had not yet responded to Pakistan’s request to allow a Pakistani judicial commission to cross-examine and record the statements of four witnesses in Mumbai,the prosecution on Saturday requested the judge to proceed with the trial,saying,“there has already been a considerable delay in the case and the court should continue the trial proceedings.” Prosecutors also requested the court to take up their application to conduct hearings every day.

The judge adjourned the case till April 6.