The case of seven Pakistanis who were charged with the involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks halted on Saturday after the judge appointed for the hearing was transferred. Due to this the proceeding is held for the second consecutive week.
Judge Shahid Rafique of the anti-terrorism court number 3 was hired for the hearing of this case. Apparently, he was the fifth judge appointed for the case since the proceeding began in 2009. He started the hearing of this case after he was transferred to Rawalpindi from Gujranwala in July.
According to our reliable sources, Judge Rafique is sent back to Gujranwala on Saturday by the judicial authorities of the anti-terrorism court number 3. The case is now moved to anti-terrorism court number 1 where judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan is recently transferred. However, the Mumbai attack case is put up to Judge Parvez Ali Shah who is suspended till September 24.
Right now it is not confirmed whether a judge has been assigned to take up the case during the next hearing.
According to the defense lawyer Khwaja Sultan, the appeal of one of the suspects Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi (commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba) is expected to be taken up by Judge Rafique at Lahore High Courte on Monday. Lakhvi had requested to change the judge as he could not expect justice from the present judge.
Seven Pakistani suspects including Lakhvi are accused of planning the Mumbai attacks as well as financing the attacks that killed around 166 people in November 2008.
So far, over 160 prosecution witnesses have tested and the trial has been marred by controversies and technical delays.
