DATE=1/27/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=PAK / SHARIF (L)
NUMBER=2-258479
BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER
DATELINE=KARACHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: In the second day of cross-examination,
defense lawyers in the criminal trial of Pakistan's
former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, tried to tear
down the allegation made by the prosecution's key
witness. As correspondent Scott Anger reports from
Karachi, Mr. Sharif and six others are facing charges
of attempted murder, kidnapping and hijacking --
allegations related to an incident dating back to last
October (October 12). The accused are charged with
ordering that a plane carrying the head of the armed
forces not be allowed to land.
TEXT: Aminullah Chaudhry, Pakistan's former civil
aviation director, countered defense charges that
Nawaz Sharif did not order the diversion of a plane
carrying army chief Pervez Musharraf and about 200
other passengers. Mr. Chaudhry has testified that he
was ordered by Nawaz Sharif not to allow the plane to
land in the country.
Defense attorney Khawaja Sultan pressed Mr. Chaudhry
about the exact time Nawaz Sharif allegedly telephoned
to inquire about details of the commercial flight
returning from Sri Lanka with the General Musharraf on
board.
Both sides must establish the time when the incident
took place. The defense says the plane was diverted
as a reaction to the coup. The prosecution says Mr.
Sharif was trying to kill the general by diverting the
plane - which the prosecution claims had run
dangerously low on fuel and could have crashed. The
plane eventually landed without incident in Karachi.
Nawaz Sharif, his younger brother Shahbaz, and five
others have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The trial, which is being held in a heavily guarded,
auditorium, is being conducted by a special anti-
terrorism court system Mr. Sharif himself established
to hand down verdicts in less than seven days. But
because a large number of witnesses will be called to
testify, the trial is expected to take much longer.
(Signed)
NEB/SA/KL
27-Jan-2000 08:37 AM EDT (27-Jan-2000 1337 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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