Islamabad: A Pakistani court on Saturday adjourned
till March 19 the trial of LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi
and six other suspects charged with involvement in the Mumbai
attacks after prosecution lawyers boycotted proceedings when
they were not allowed to take their security details into the
makeshift courtroom in a heavily guarded prison.
The prosecution team went to Rawalpindi`s Adiala Jail,
where the proceedings are being conducted behind closed doors
for security reasons, with its paramilitary guards.
However, prison officials said regulations did not allow
the armed escort to go into the jail, sources told PTI.
The prison officials said security had been further
tightened at the jail as proceedings in two more high-profile
cases related to the assassinations of former premier Benazir
Bhutto and Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer were scheduled for
today, the sources said.
The prosecution lawyers then boycotted the trial and left
the prison, the sources said.
As a result, there were no proceedings today and Judge
Rana Nisar Ahmed adjourned the case till March 19.
The judge is expected to hear arguments on an application
filed by the prosecution to declare Ajmal Kasab, the lone
surviving attacker, and Fahim Ansari, an Indian terror
suspect, as "proclaimed offenders" or fugitives at the next
hearing.
It is also expected to take up another application filed
by defence lawyers to oppose the prosecution`s application.
The trial of the seven Pakistani suspects has been marred
by repeated delays over technical matters.
The judge has been changed thrice and only one of more
than 160 prosecution witnesses has testified so far.
PTI
