ISLAMABAD: An eight-member panel of Pakistani prosecution and defence lawyers will visit India next week to cross-examine four Indian witnesses in the Mumbai attack case, a Federal Investigation Agency prosecutor informed an anti-terrorism court here on Saturday.
FIA’s special prosecutor Mohammad Azhar Chaudhry told journalists after the court proceedings that the Indian government had issued schedule for recording statements of and cross-examining witnesses — R.V. Sawant Waghule, the person who recorded the confessional statement of Ajmal Kasab; Chief Investigation Officer Ramesh Mahale; and Ganesh Dhunraj and Chintaman Mohite, the doctors who carried out the post-mortem of the terrorists killed during the attack.
The Indian authorities had proposed to the Pakistani panel to reach Mumbai by Sept 5-6. However, because of non-availability of flights on these dates it has been decided that they would leave Pakistan for India on Sept 7.
The schedule was issued by the Indian ministry of external affairs on Aug 23, and the same was forwarded to Pakistan’s interior ministry through diplomatic channels.
Earlier in January, the Indian authorities had asked the Pakistani panel to visit Mumbai for cross-examining the witnesses and the Mumbai High Court (MHC) had appointed Chief Metropolitan Magistrate A.A. Khan presiding officer of the commission. However, the visit could not take place because of some legal complications and in the meantime Mr Khan retired.
The MHC has now appointed P.Y. Ladekar to head the commission.
The Pakistani panel will be comprised of lead defence counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmed, Riaz Akram Cheema, Khizer Hayat, Raja Ehsanullah Satti, FIA special prosecutor Chaudhry Mohammad Azhar, Syed Husnain Abuzar Pirzada, FIA deputy director Faqir Mohammad and court official Abdul Hameed.
Senior defence counsel Malik Rafique has refused to join the Mumbai commission’s proceedings, citing security concerns.
Talking to Dawn, Mr Rafique said that under ‘present circumstances’ a visit by Pakistani counsel to India would not be safe.
He said that under the Criminal Procedure Code the Indian witnesses should have appeared before a Pakistani court, but they had refused to visit Pakistan.
In March last year, the Pakistani panel had joined the Mumbai commission’s proceedings but later challenged the same in an anti-terrorism court of Rawalpindi, saying they were not given the right to cross-examine the witnesses.
In July 2012, the ATC declared the entire exercise of the Mumbai commission illegal after which both Pakistan and India set aside their earlier agreement of November 2010 and decided to allow defence counsel to cross-examine the four Indian witnesses.
Riaz Cheema, one of the defence counsel, told Dawn that after cross-examining the Indian witnesses their statements could be used for or against seven Pakistani suspects who had allegedly facilitated the Mumbai attack.
He said the Mumbai commission would commence its proceedings on Sept 9. The recording of statements and cross-examining of the Indian witnesses would take about four days after which the Pakistani panel would return home by Sept 14.
Months back Geo TV Morning Show host Shaista Lodhi has again attracted the social website pages as she presented a very wrong thought in her show stating that as being a human being we should strive more for making our world a pleasure, a divine Jannah for us instead of putting efforts for the Hereafter heaven. Her controversial words have created hype in the social media networks once again where she is being highly criticized by people for presenting such ridiculous notion.
In the beginning of the show, the doctor cum host said that people may contradict with her idea but it was she believes in. She said that we should make this world, our living place heaven for us and not believe in earning heaven in life hereafter solely. The video, cutting of the program which carries her wordings is of 26 seconds and can be seen on the websites easily.
People have slammed the host calling her to be a hypocrite, illiterate. Earlier too, she had faced oppositions from people after the news items began to appear of her divorce because she did not want to give up her career and dedicate herself as a housewife. There had also been rumors of the Shaista, sister of the host, versatile Sahir Lodhi to enter into marriage knots with Shakeel Ur Rehman, the Geo TV owner, where she presently works.
With the stay of the VJ and actress Mahira Khan in India has erupted news items that say that the Pakistani beauty may appear with the emerging talented Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh. Mahira had been in India for last couple of weeks for some purpose and it is said that the two are likely to do a movie together.
Rumor erupted after it was heard that Ashar, Fawad Khan, the heart throb of Pakistani drama industry would cast against the young Bollywood actress, Alia Bhatt- the disco girl and the daughter of the famous film producer Mahesh Bhatt. Nothing as such has appeared bearing the statements of the Humsafar stars but time will reveal if they are merely rumors or unrevealed agreements.
It is said that lately Mahira has been offered the Yash Raj Film that casts Ranveer Singh as the co-star. Let’s see what comes out to be!
Mahira Khan, the VJ come actress made her first appearance as VJ in her 16. Later she was first seen on the screen in the ARY Digital Drama Neeyat. In the year 2011 she did Shoaib Mansoor’s mega hit movie Bol where her work received appreciation from the critics and the fans. Fawad Afzal Khan and Mahira emerged as the beautiful talented actor and actress after the Humsafar serial that gained immense viewer ship locally and internationally.
Ranveer Singh, 28 aged actor started off his career in Bollywood wit the Yashraj film Band Baja Baraat and has done Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl and recently completed doing movie Lootera. Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh couple has hit the box office.
The famous singer cum religious scholar and a religious show host Junaid Jamshed has met criticisms from large group of people as one the pictures from a show got widely posted on the social network websites. In the picture, Suraj Baba the screenwriter is found on the right side of his shoulder while the legendary Pakistani film actress, Roohi Bano stands on the left side. Junaid is found to put arms over the shoulders of the guests.
Fans of JJ have criticized him stating it to be against ethics. People have stated that a religious scholar like him should not photograph a picture with a woman so close to him, since touching of Na-mehrams is forbidden in Islam. People have been of opinion that if it had been the Geo TV host Amir Liaquat then this news item must have been circulated widely with heavy criticisms on him, his piousness and character but since it is JJ so no strict words have been used against him.
Amir Liaquat Geo TV host Islamic show host and a man rich of Islamic knowledge is often the victim of oppositions by the masses over his wrong use of words or sometimes his fierce attitude. His edited pictures are post on Facebook and related videos.
Roohi Bano was invited on the ARY Channel at the show Shan-e-Ramazan last month (in Ramadan 2013) along with the screen writer Suraj Baba to share the disheartening story and miserable state of the acknowledged actress over the past years and the present. Suraj Baba on the show shared his views, an act of sympathy over the misery-driven woman.
Dubai: Pakistani all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has been captured in a Dubai jeweler shop with the Indian actress Tamanna Bhatia where he gives pos0e facing the camera while the later has bowed down her face with shyness. The picture has created hype on the social websites. It is being said that the picture was taken on the inauguration of the shop while few sources state it to be a story of the arrival of new ‘Indian bhabhi’ in Pakistan.
It is pertinent here to mention that the 33 year aged right armed Abdul Razzaq married with Ayesha. They are enjoying married life with children. No news reports of the tensions between the couple have been heard up till now but the hype on social websites can be a setback to their marital life. Time will reveal the real truths!
Tamanna is famous as “Queen of Kollywood” in India. Her Recent Movie “Himmatwala” with Ajay Devgan is termed her comeback to Bollywood.
Abdul Razzaq, the former player holds good ODI record. He got into cricket at the age of 17 and made his successful beginning in the field with the speculator performance against Zimbabwe in 1996, thus emerging in the international cricket for the first time.
Over 50 tests and 265 ODIs have been played by him. He had been a good fast-bowler but his talent saw a decline after the 2003 World Cup.
