Pakistan court adjourns hearing in Mumbai attack case

A Pakistani anti-terror court today adjourned for a week the hearing in the Mumbai attack case against LeT's operations chief Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six other suspects after recording the testimony of an investigator.

Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan recorded the testimony of Federal Investigation Agency inspector Nisar Ahmed Jadoon during proceedings held at the high-security Adiala Jail in
Rawalpindi.

Four witnesses were scheduled to testify today but the court could not even complete recording the testimony of the FIA official who was part of the team that probed the Mumbai attacks, sources said.

At one stage, the judge asked the FIA official not to stray from the matter at hand and to limit himself to what hehad actually  witnessed, sources told PTI.

"The judge scheduled the next hearing for March 13," said Shahbaz Rajput, a lawyer representing some of the accused.

The trial is being conducted within the heavily guarded Adiala Jail  or security reasons.

The seven accused Lakhvi, Zarar Shah, Abu al-Qama, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younas Anjum are being held in the same prison.    

They were formally charged last year with planning and helping execute the assault on India's financial hub in November 2008 that killed nearly 180 people.

Meanwhile, foreign secretary Salman Bashir met interior minister Rehman Malik and handed over to him a fresh dossier on the Mumbai attacks provided by India.

The dossier, one of three given to Bashir during the foreign secretary-level talks in New Delhi on February 25, was provided to Malik for examination by the interior ministry, an official statement said. 

Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik accompanied the foreign secretary for the meeting with the
Interior Minister last night.

The statement did not give details about the contents of the dossier but media reports said it contained additional information about the Mumbai attacks uncovered by Indian investigators.

India has reportedly sought details of internet communication between the attackers and their handlers and the questioning of some Pakistan-based suspects. 

Bashir also briefed Malik on his talks with his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao last month.