Internet Desk: An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday summoned the prosecution witnesses by June 30 after framing charges against six members of a banned outfit accused in 2009 Sri Lankan cricket team attack case.
During an in-camera proceedings on Wednesday held at Kot Lakhpat Jail all the suspects; Obaidullah, Javed Anwar, Ibrahim Khalil, Abdul Wahab, Zubair and Adnan Arshad, pleaded not guilty.
The first three suspects were on bail while other are behind bars.
In this case, the court had already declared two suspects, Mohsin Rasheed and Abdul Rehman, proclaimed offenders. The presiding judge, Chaudhry Azam, summoned the prosecution witnesses on June 30.
The alleged mastermind of the attack, Malik Ishaq, was killed last year in July during a crossfire between the personnel of Counter-Terrorism Department and the militants who tried to free their leader from the custody of the force in Muzaffargarh. Gulberg police had registered a case against Ishaq and others for their involvement in the attack.
A bus carrying the guest team was attacked with AK-47 rifles and grenades at Liberty Chowk near Qaddafi Stadium on March 3, 2009. Seven players and an assistant coach were wounded while eight Pakistanis killed in the attack.
Then Sri Lankan cricket team captain Mahela Jayawaredene, his deputy Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana and Chaminda Vaas had sustained injuries. Six escorting policemen were also killed in this attack. Attackers had a plan to take the cricket team hostage to get some arrested commanders of TTP released.
Pakistan and Zimbabwe played three T20 Internationals (T20I) and three One-Day Internationals (ODI), which were won by Pakistan. There have been efforts by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to resume cricket in the country, but have not been able to successfully do so. Pakistan as a result have been playing all their home matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).