The court on Saturday could not frame charges against the accused in the Haj scam, owing to the absence of one of them, former director general Haj Rao Shakeel Ahmed.
The hearing was held in the court of Special Judge Central Syed Ahmed Akhlaq Ahmed Shah while Rao Shakeel was sick and in Lahore, as a result of which the court did not proceed further. The judge postponed the hearing till October 25. During the hearing, former federal minister for religious affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi and ex-joint secretary Aftab-ul-Islam were also present in the court room.
IHC remains functional on Saturday: The Islamabad High Court continued to function as normal on Saturday despite a notification of the Federal government introducing two weekly holidays as part of its energy conversation plan. The Islamabad High Court and district courts continued to perform their routine work on Saturday since they had not received the notification.
IHC Registrar Attiq ur Rehman confirmed that they were yet to receive the said notification and that any decision in this regard would be taken after consultation with the Supreme Court.
Seventeen ‘outlaws’ arrested: The Islamabad police on Saturday claimed to have arrested as many as 17 outlaws and recovered stolen goods, drugs and illegal weapons. The capital police arrested eight criminals and recovered stolen goods, seven pistols, 58 rounds, carbon, 3 kilo opium, 5 bottle liquors. The police have registered cases against the accused.
Separately, Rawalpindi police have also arrested nine “criminals” and recovered 14 bottles of liquor, four pistols and stolen money worth Rs 50,000. Separate cases have been lodged against those arrested.
