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Murtaza murder case hearing adjourned till 28th

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: A full bench of the Supreme Court has extended the

interim bails of five senior officers of the Karachi Police, accused of

involvement in the murder of Murtaza Bhutto and adjourned the case to February 28.

The police officers are: Wajid Durrani, Rai Mohammad Tahir, Shahid Hayat Khan, Agha Mohammad Jamil and Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani. They were in the police team which had raided Murtaza Bhutto's Clifton house to arrest him. Murteza Bhutto and five of his guards were killed in shoot-out.

The full bench, hearing the petitions for the confirmation of bail of five and grant of bail to Rai Tahir, comprising Justice Ijaz Nisar, Justice Riaz A Sheikh and Justice Rana Baghwandas. Rai Tahir's lawyer, Dr Ijaz Batalvi said his client had been in the judicial lock-up for the last two years and there had been no complaints about his conduct. This fact alone, he added, qualified him for a bail. Khawaja Sultan Ahmed, who appeared for Shahid Hayat Khan, Agha Mohammad Jamil and Qaimkhani, questioned the government's decision to try his clients under the anti-terrorist laws by the special courts as he said the deceased had lost their lives in an exchange of fire between the police party and some wanted persons.

Dr Abdul Basit, who appeared for Wajid Durrani, the senior most police officer seeking bail, was still arguing when the court rose for the day. The new date was fixed after consultation with the counsel.