“Rats fall from the ceiling in my barrack when I pray,” Bushra Bibi tells court

ISLAMABAD: The hearing of the ‘190 million pound’ reference case was adjourned yet again, this time until August 29, after lawyers failed to appear for the cross-examination of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) witness.

This marks the tenth occasion on which the cross-examination has been delayed due to the absence of the defence counsel, despite repeated opportunities granted by the court.

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During the proceedings, the court expressed its frustration at the repeated delays, noting that while media interactions and meetings with political leadership are regularly held at the courthouse, the actual legal proceedings remain stalled.

The court remarked that over 200 staff, including prosecution teams, are engaged in the case, yet no progress has been made in the reference due to the lawyers’ persistent non-attendance.

The court rejected a request from the defence to adjourn the hearing until September 3, instead giving one final chance for the cross-examination to take place on the next scheduled date.

The NAB lawyers urged the court to proceed with the cross-examination, pointing out that despite there being 12 named attorneys on the case, none have stepped forward to complete the task. In response, the present defence lawyers insisted that only the central lawyers would conduct the cross-examination, further contributing to the delay.

In an unexpected turn during the hearing, Bushra Bibi, who was present in court, raised a personal concern with the judge. She revealed that her barracks have been infested with rats for the past three months, stating, “[When] I pray, rats fall from the roof.”

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The court, acknowledging the seriousness of her complaint, immediately summoned Deputy Superintendent Tahir Siddique Shah, and instructed him to resolve the issue promptly.

Deputy Superintendent Shah assured the court that the matter had been noted and that steps would be taken to address the rat infestation as soon as possible.