KARACHI, Aug 16: An additional district and sessions judge issued on Saturday bailable warrants for the arrest of about 10 prosecution witnesses and directed the police to arrest and produce them before the court on Sept 9.

Earlier, judge Nelofer Shahnawaz had issued many notices to the witnesses but they did not turn up.

The blast had occurred at a towel dyeing and bleaching factory in New Karachi on July 24, 2007 which killed nine people and wounded 25 others.

The court had indicted Akhtar Hussain Baloch, the factory owner, and Mohammad Ahsanullah, the boiler operator, on a manslaughter charge. They had pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the case.

A case (FIR 359/07) was registered against them under Section 322 of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Taimuria police station after the boiler had exploded. Around 13 prosecution witnesses have so far been examined in the case.

Both accused were arrested after the incident and sent to jail. Later, Akhtar Baloch got bail from the Sindh High Court.

Meanwhile, the judicial magistrates, south, Asif Ahmed and Ashraf Hussain Khwaja, issued on Saturday bailable warrants of arrest for the witnesses for not appearing before the court to testify in four difference cases registered against Agha Javed Pathan and put off the hearing till Sept 2.

Javed Pathan was arrested on April 9 on the charges of manhandling former Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and a case (FIR 202/08) was registered at the Preedy police station under Sections 502, 452, 506-B 337 A and F of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The police claimed that they had also seized illegal weapons, hashish and a stolen motorcycle from Pathan’s possession and registered three other cases (FIRs 199/08, 200/08 and 201/08) against him under Sections 392 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 13-D of the Arms Ordinance and Section 6/9-A of the Control of Narcotic Substance Act at the Preedy police station. Later, Agha Pathan got bail in all the cases.

Meanwhile, the additional district and sessions court adjourned on Saturday the hearing in a kidnapping and murder case registered against Mohajir Qaumi Movement chief Afaq till Aug 23.

Judge Abdul Razzaq, who is conducting the trial in the Judicial Complex (Central Prison), had summoned witnesses on the previous two hearings, but they did not turn up to testify.

Defence counsel Suhail Anjum requested the court to issue non-bailable arrest warrants for the witnesses since they were not complying with the court’s order. However, the court turned down the request and put off the haring for Aug 23.

Afaq Ahmed and his associates were charged with kidnapping Mohammed Farooq, Mohammad Tahir, Salman and M. Anwar, workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, in the Landhi police limits on June 19, 1992, and later, they allegedly killed Mohammad Farooq.

The police registered a case (FIR 102/92) under Sections 147, 148, 149, 324, 364, 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Ismail Quershi.