Framing of charges may be delayed

ISLAMABAD, Dec 15 (PTI) — Framing of charges in the plane hijacking case against deposed Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif and six others is likely to be delayed further as the prosecution is refusing to give copies of the black box recordings to the defence.

Raja Qureshi, Advocate-General of Sindh and a prosecution counsel in the case before the anti-terrorist court in Karachi, continues to stick on to his stand that the copies of the recordings could not be provided to the defence as per international law.

“According to us it (black box recordings) could not be copied,” Qureshi told Tehran radio in an interview.

“As per international law copies of the black box could never be made” but the defence counsel is insisting on it, Qureshi was quoted by the official news agency APP.

The anti-terrorism court in Karachi last Monday deferred the framing of charges against Mr Sharif, his brother Shahbaz and other accused till December 20 with direction to both sides to bring experts to examine whether the video and audio evidences could be handed over to the defence.

KARACHI: A special court hearing charges of criminal conspiracy against Pakistan’s deposed Premier Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday ordered his release on parole following the death of his mother-in-law in Lahore, his hometown.

A spokeswoman for Mr Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League Party in Lahore said that the woman had already been buried, alleging that Pakistan’s military regime ignored the family’s pleas to allow Mr Sharif to attend the funeral.

Officials said the police would take Mr Sharif and his brother to the family later in the day and bring him back to Karachi.

It would be Mr Sharif’s first visit to his hometown and political base since being overthrown by the military on October 12.