DATE=2/3/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=PAK - SHARIF TRIAL - PILOT (S-L)
NUMBER=2-258767
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: There was dramatic testimony Thursday in the
criminal trial of Pakistan's ousted Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif in the city of Karachi. A pilot at the
center of the case says he feared his plane would
crash after it was denied permission to land last
October 12th. VOA's Jim Teeple reports prosecutors
say Mr. Sharif gave the orders for the plane not to
land - a charge denied by the former Prime Minister.
Text: In compelling testimony which riveted the
Karachi courtroom, Pilot Syed Sarwat Hussein said he
felt helpless after receiving orders not to land his
Pakistan International Airlines Airbus, with nearly
200 passengers on board, at Karachi's International
Airport.
Mr. Hussein told the court he felt the order not to
land came because General Pervez Musharraf was on
board the plane, which was flying from Sri Lanka to
Pakistan. Just hours earlier General Musharraf had
been fired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The P-I-A pilot says he was instructed to fly out of
Pakistani airspace -- something he says he could not
do because the plane was low on fuel. Shortly
afterwards with just minutes of fuel left he was
instructed to land at Karachi by military authorities
who met the plane. Hours later General Musharraf
seized power in a bloodless coup.
//SHORT CR ENDS HERE//
// REST OPT FOR LONG CR // Now, former Prime Minister
Sharif faces charges of attempted murder, kidnapping
and hijacking in the case which also involves his
younger brother and five co-defendants. All seven
have protested their innocence and pleaded not guilty.
If convicted of hijacking, Mr. Sharif and his co-
defendants could receive the death penalty. The trial
is expected to last several more weeks but a verdict
is expected later this month. (Signed)
neb/jlt/plm
03-Feb-2000 06:32 AM EDT (03-Feb-2000 1132 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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