Wali Babar case: Accused falls unconscious in court

KARACHI: An Anti-Terrorism Court on Wednesday adjourned its hearing for Geo News reporter Wali Khan Babar's murder case till May 4 after one of the accused fell unconscious in the court a few minutes before the beginning of today's proceedings.

Today, the accused in Wali Babar's murder case changed their counsel, sources said.

It is pertinent to mention here that during the last hearing of the case, Amir Mansoob Qureshi, the lawyer of the accused, Faisal Nafsiati, Shakil Malik, Shahrukh Mani, Tahir Naveed Polka and Muhammad Ali Rizvi had failed to show up.

The court then warned the accused that if their counsel failed to attend the next hearing, the court would hire a lawyer on government expenses to carry out the proceedings.

Today, Salman Mujahid Advocate filed his papers with court as the defence lawyer in the case. However, just before the start of today's proceedings one of the accused Shahrukh alias Mani blacked out but regained consciousness shortly afterwards. The reason of his falling unconscious could not be ascertained.

Sending him for a medical check up, the court later adjourned the hearing till May 4.

The plaintiff, Mohabbat Khan Babar has termed the delays in the hearing of the case as a conspiracy.