Angry PTI chairman, Qureshi force court for a break in cipher case hearing
Pakistan
The judge had previously appointed state defence counsel after defence used delaying tactics
RAWALPINDI (Dunya News/Web Desk) – The cipher proceedings were again disrupted on Monday as the two accused – PTI founding chairman and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi – got angered and started shouting.
As the situation worsened, the special court judge opted for a temporary break after which it is expected the hearing will start again.
During the last hearing on Saturday, the special court judge – Abual Hasnat Mohammad Zulqarnain – decided to appoint state counsel for representing the two accused, as the defence lawyers again failed to appear before the court.
The move triggered chaos in the court as the accused reacted angrily, forcing the special court judge –to warn them.
It was Qureshi who first snatched the case from the state defence counsel [the lawyer provided by the court to a defence party] and threw it away while also resorting to shouting. Similarly, the PTI former chairman used insulting language against the judge during the hearing held at the Adiala jail.
According to the court decision, Malik Abdul Rehman and Hazrat Younus would represent the PTI founding chairman and Qureshi respectively as the state defence counsel and cross examine the prosecution witnesses.
Earlier on Friday, Raja Rizwan Abbasi – the FIA prosecutor – had requested the special court established under the Official Secrets Act to close the defence counsel’s right of cross-examination, saying the defence was applying delaying tactics to prolong the trial.
He said one of the witnesses had come from the UAE to attend the court proceedings, but the defence counsel did not bother to come to the court.
It’s a developing story. Details to follow
