RAWALPINDI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has sought permission of the court hearing the Mumbai attacks case to obtain statements through a video conference of the Indian chief investigator and magistrate who had recorded the confession of Ajmal Kasab, the main accused.
Anti-Terrorism Court-I Special Judge Malik Mohammad Akram Awan will take up the application on Aug 28.
The FIA submitted the application on Monday through Special Prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali, seeking permission to record the statements of Mumbai’s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate R.V. Sawant Wahgule and Chief Investigation Officer Ramesh Mahale. The Indian government has offered their witness accounts through modern video facilities.
The FIA prayed for acceptance of its plea for early completion of the trial and cited Article 164 of the Qanun-i-Shahadat Order of 1984 (the court may allow any evidence that may have become available because of modern devices or techniques) and the judicial policy announced by the Supreme Court last year in support of its request.
The ATC had asked the prosecution to present evidence to substantiate a claim that Ajmal Kasab in his confessional statement before the Indian magistrate and chief investigator had named Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and others arrested in Pakistan for allegedly planning the attacks.
The lawyers representing the seven accused arrested in Pakistan had also said that the unavailability of the prosecution witnesses was delaying the proceedings.
The FIA said the Indian authorities, citing security reasons, had offered video recording of the statements of its officials, rather than sending them to Pakistan, to convince the court about the confession and disclosure of Kasab who had been sentenced to death by an Indian court. Seven men are facing the trial in Adiala jail for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai attacks. http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/19-court-asked-to-allow-indian-video-evidence-080-hh-11

2. Asfandyar’s sister hurt in attack: By Ali Hazrat Bacha in Dawn, Aug  10
PESHAWAR, Aug 9: Dr Gulalai, prominent surgeon and sister of ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, was injured in an attack outside her clinic in Khyber Bazaar on Monday evening.
A police official said two men fired three shots at her when she was leaving the clinic in the Karachi Market. “Dr Gulalai was hit by one bullet in her right arm,” he said. She was rushed back to her clinic for first aid. According to family sources, Dr Gulalai suffered minor injuries.
Police cordoned off the area and launched a search for the attackers.
“A bearded man standing beside a motorcycle outside her clinic fired at her,” an official quoted a witness as saying.
Although belonging to a major political family of the country, Dr Gulalai did not take part in politics. www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/asfandyars-sister-hurt-in-attack-080

3. Policeman shot dead in Quetta
QUETTA, Aug 9: A head constable was shot dead in Killi Barozai area near Sariab road on Monday.
Sources said that head constable Jumma Khan was going home when armed men on a motorcycle opened fire on him.
Jumma Khan was posted in Washik area and was in Quetta on vacation. The cause of the murder could not be ascertained. http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/policeman-shot-dead-in-quetta-080

4. Doctor not in ISI custody, LHC told
LAHORE, Aug 9: The Lahore High Court (LHC) was informed on Monday that a missing doctor of Jinnah Hospital, Dr Ali Abdullah, was not in the custody of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).
Ministry of Defence Director (legal) Lt-Col Sarfraz through a written reply informed this to Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry.
Petitioner’s counsel Asad Manzoor Butt told the court that a man namely Abdul Mannan, who introduced himself as an official of intelligence agencies, had repeatedly been threatening the petitioner and his family on telephone.
He pointed out that on court orders the petitioner provided phone numbers to the police in order to find out the caller but no progress had been made so far.
Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry observed that secret agencies were harassing innocent citizens despite a democratic rule in the country and it appeared that these agencies were not under the government’s control.
He directed the investigation officer of Garden Town police to trace out the caller and make him join the inquiry. The judge adjourned further hearing till Aug 19.
www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/local/lahore/doctor-not-in-isi-custody%2C-lhc-told-080

5. Hammer falls on security agencies: By Syed Irfan Raza in Dawn, Aug 10
ISLAMABAD, Aug 9: The local administration cancelled the licences of 22 security companies on Monday and barred them from operating in the federal capital for violating the law governing them.
An official spokesman said they did not observe the Private Security Companies Ordinance 2001 and the Private Companies Rules 2001 and their offices were being sealed “with immediate effect”.
Sources said action against the 22 companies served as a warning to other companies in the field.
It followed a letter sent by the interior ministry in March to all provincial governments and the Islamabad administration asking them to see, among other things, that the domestic companies did not associate foreign security agencies in their operations. The letter said: “Keeping in view the prevailing security situation, no private security company be authorised to have contract with foreign security agencies.”
None of the 22 companies shut down in the federal capital fell in the category. In fact all of them had long been dormant.
Though registered as security companies, they had not recruited required manpower nor paid the government usual fees, according to the sources.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/local/islamabad/hammer-falls-on-security-agencies-080