Daily Times

Provincial Secretary Prosecution Nadeem Sarwar on Wednesday said that cross-examination of eight eye witnesses had been completed in Priyantha Kumara case.

While briefing the five-member prosecution committee, he said that the court had summoned two more eye witnesses for cross-examination on the next date of hearing. He directed the prosecutors to utilise all their professional capabilities in Priyantha Kumara case, adding that no stone should be left unturned to pursue the case in the court.

During the briefing, it was also informed that the court had also summoned forensic experts, who had analysed the voices of the accused in the Priyantha Kumara case.

The briefing was attended by the prosecution committee members including Asmat Ullah Khan, Asghar Ali, Abdul Rauf, Zahid Sarfraz and Umer Farooq.

The court had indicted 80 accused in the case on March 12 after filing of challan by the prosecution, whereas a separate trial was in progress for nine juveniles.

The prosecution in its challan included 40 witnesses besides videos, digital evidence, DNA and forensic evidence.

A mob in Sialkot had tortured Sri Lankan Priyantha Kumara to death over blasphemy allegations on Dec 3, 2021. The deceased was working as a manager at a local factory.

Cabinet Committee on Legislative Business makes various decisions: A number of important decisions were made at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Business, with Punjab Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Muhammad Basharat Raja in the chair, here on Wednesday.

The committee approved delegation of powers for granting parole on good conduct to the home secretary or chairman Parole Board.

It was also decided that an Act would be amended to provide driving licences to the persons with hearing disabilities. The meeting approved the resignations of Syed Yawar Ali and Saqib H Shirazi, two private members of Technical and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA).

It was also decided to send recommendations to the chief minister for establishment of two new tehsils of Cantonment and City in Rawalpindi district.

The Cabinet Committee approved an amendment to the Constitution of the Punjab Sports Board, under which the divisional sports committees have been restored.

A suggestion of the secretary Mines and Minerals to approve a uniform policy for better use of salt mines has been deferred for further consideration.

The cabinet committee also approved the draft of Punjab Sikh Marriage Amendment Act 2022, and legislation for setting up of Punjab Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency (PEECA).

The meeting was attended by the Minister for Higher Education Raja Yasir Humayun and the administrative secretaries concerned.