Lahore ATC gives prosecution a final opportunity to present the case record before hearing Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s bail plea on Sept. 16.
LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court in Lahore on Monday adjourned the hearing of former federal minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s bail application in the Jinnah House attack case until Sept. 16 after the prosecution sought more time to produce the case record.
The hearing was conducted by Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Manzar Ali Gul.
During the proceedings, the prosecution requested additional time to present the record, arguing that a jail trial in the case is scheduled for Sept. 16 and the relevant record would be available there.
Qureshi’s counsel, Rana Mudassar Umar, objected to the delay and told the court that Monday marked the 86th hearing of the case, but the prosecution had still not produced the complete record.
The lawyer also objected to repeated reports that defence counsel had failed to appear before the court.
“Do not say such things. You have also sought several adjournments,” Judge Manzar Ali Gul remarked.
The judge observed that the trial in the case was already close to completion.
The proceedings also included a lighter exchange when Qureshi’s lawyer complimented the judge on his tie. “Sir, you are wearing a very beautiful tie,” the lawyer said. The judge thanked him and asked what he thought about the proceedings.
The court also asked the defence about the number of other cases pending against Qureshi.
Rana Mudassar Umar said Qureshi had already been acquitted in other cases and that only one case remained. He argued that the allegations in that case were of a similar nature and that much of the evidence was also the same.
The lawyer further argued that the trial’s completion date remained uncertain and that an accused could not be kept in jail indefinitely while waiting for the proceedings to conclude.
The judge disagreed with the concern, saying there was no such issue and that the trial could be completed quickly once the process moved forward.
The court ultimately granted the prosecution one final opportunity to produce the required record and adjourned the hearing of Qureshi’s bail application until Sept. 16.
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