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LAHORE, Jul 07 (APP):The jail trial of five high-profile cases linked to the May 9 riots — including the Askari Tower attack and Shadman police station arson — continued on Monday at Kot Lakhpat Jail.
Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Administrative Judge Manzer Ali Gill presided over the trial proceedings.
As many as 24 witnesses recorded their statements during the hearing, which lasted until 5 PM.
About 11 new prosecution witnesses testified against the accused, while cross-examination of 13 previously recorded witness statements was completed by defence counsel.
In the Shadman arson case alone, statements of 5 new and 7 previous witnesses were recorded. One new witness testified in the Askari Tower attack case.
Meanwhile, in the case regarding the burning of police vehicles near Jinnah House, 2 new and 6 previous witnesses recorded their statements. In separate arson cases in Mughalpura and Zaman Park, testimonies of 4 more witnesses were documented.
Accused out on bail, including PTI leaders Alia Hamza and Khadija Shah, appeared before the court, while the attendance of detained political figures such as Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Dr. Yasmin Rashid was also marked.
It is pertinent to mention that the proceedings are being expedited in compliance with Supreme Court directives to conclude trials related to the May 9 incidents without delay.