Lahore: The hearing in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks trial against seven Pakistani suspects was today adjourned till next week after the judge did not turn up, citing “security concerns”.
In the wake of a recent attack on a district court in Islamabad, the trial judge in the case did not turn up.
The court office then adjourned the hearing till March 19.
Chief Prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar has already declared that he would not attend the proceedings of any high profile case till “foolproof” security is provided to him.
Azhar, who took over as special prosecutor in the case last year, assumed the position after his predecessor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali was shot dead in Islamabad in May.
The Mumbai case trial is taking place against seven accused, including LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. In Pakistan's high-profile criminal and terror-related cases, the job of prosecutors as well as of the defence counsels is perilous.
The recent terror attack on the local court in Islamabad has raised concerns among the judicial community.
Last week's hearing in the Mumbai case was also adjourned after the lawyers did not turn up to protest the recent suicide assault at a court premises in Islamabad.
LeT operations commander Lakhvi, Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Anjum have been charged with planning, financing and executing the attacks that killed 166 people in November 2008.
