Deposed Pakistani PM's lawyers to end trial boycott

Last week's killing of Sharif's lead counsel Iqbal Raad brought more controversy to the trial

March 14, 2000
Web posted at: 8:27 p.m. HKT (1227 GMT)

KARACHI, Pakistan (CNN) -- Defense lawyers will end their boycott of deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's hijacking and attempted murder trial and return to court in Karachi next Monday, sources have told CNN.

Raja Qureshi, lead prosecutor, told reporters Tuesday afternoon that defense lawyer Khawaja Sultan said the defense team, which began the boycott after lead counsel Iqbal Raad was murdered, had agreed to resume Sharif's defense.

Qureshi said the trial will resume Monday when prosecution begins presenting two days of closing arguments. The defense is scheduled to begin three days of closing arguments on March 24.

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Sultan was scheduled to travel to Karachi overnight Tuesday, and was to meet Sharif on Wednesday.

The former prime minister reportedly expressed, during his one-hour conversation with Sultan on Monday, how upset he and his co- defendants were with the decision made by the lawyers. Sharif reportedly asked Sultan not to abandon him at the 11th hour.

On Monday, Sharif's lawyers, citing safety concerns after Raad's murder, said they would not return to court unless Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Rehmetullah Hussein Jaffri agreed to change the venue. They had suggested the trial resume in either Lahore or Islamabad. Jaffri adjourned proceedings until Tuesday morning.

Sharif's lawyers, including Khawaja Sultan, right, boycotted the trial on Monday over security

Raad was killed Friday when three masked men sprayed gunfire in his downtown Karachi office. A fourth man waited in an escape car. Two others, also in the office, were killed. Police said the gunmen carried an AK-47 assault rifle and two pistols. Nobody has been arrested, but police say an investigation is under way.

The court had several options, had the defense team not ended the boycott. These included moving the trial, allowing the co-defendants time to try to convince the lawyers to return, and suggesting the co-accused hire new lawyers.

Qureshi, also advocate-general of Sindh province of which Karachi is the capital, had said the prosecution opposed a change of venue, and added the government was prepared to provide the lawyers with security.

In addition to attempted murder and hijacking, which can carry the death penalty, Sharif and his co-defendants are charged with kidnapping and terrorism. The charges stem from an October 12 incident, which eventually led to a bloodless coup, in which prosecutors say Sharif tried to keep the plane carrying army Gen. Pervez Musharraf from landing at Karachi airport.

Mrs. Sharif has been accused of sedition and terrorism after making a speech to supporters last week

Also charged are Sharif's brother Shahbaz Sharif; Ghaus Ali Shah, a former adviser to Sharif on southern provincial Sindh affairs; Saifur Rehman, Pakistan's former anti-corruption czar; Saeed Mehdi, the deposed prime minister's former principal secretary, and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former chairman of Pakistan International Airlines.

Sharif's lawyers previously boycotted the trial after the judge ruled that Sharif could not make his statement in public court, rather would have to submit it in writing. Prosecutors had argued Sharif could reveal state secrets during his statement.

Correspondent John Raedler and Reuters contributed to this report.

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Defense lawyers boycott Pakistan's Sharif trial
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Sharif's defense fears more threats after top attorney slain
March 10, 2000
Deposed Pakistani PM says rift with general led to coup
March 8, 2000
Ousted Pakistani prime minister to make statement in-camera
March 6, 2000
Deposed Pakistani PM faces new charges; judge adjourns trial
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Sharif's lawyers quit over judge's ruling
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