Concluding arguments deferred in Perween Rahman's murder trial.

An antiterrorism court on Thursday deferred the concluding arguments in renowned social activist Perween Rahman's murder trial following a restraining order issued by the Sindh High Court.

Ms Rahman, head of the Orangi Pilot Project, who devoted her life to the development of impoverished neighbourhoods, was gunned down near her office in Orangi Town on March 13, 2013.

Five detained accused - Abdul Raheem Swati, his son Mohammad Imran Swati along three co-accused Ayaz Shamzai, alias Swati, Amjad Hussain Khan and Ahmed Khan, alias Ahmed Ali, alias Pappu Kashmiri - have been charged with her murder.

On Thursday, the matter came up for hearing before the ATC-XIII judge, who is conducting the trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison.

At the outset, the complainant's counsel Advocate Salahuddin submitted that his client had moved a review application against the trial court's order of dismissing her application to halt its proceedings till the fate of her application for examining the members of three joint investigation teams (JITs) constituted to probe the murder case, was decided by the Supreme Court.

On Dec 22, the SHC issued an interim order, restraining the trial court from pronouncing judgment in the present case till Feb 12; the counsel informed and requested the judge to defer further the proceedings till then. He also produced a copy of the SHC's restraining order.

Allowing the request, the judge deferred the concluding arguments being advanced by both sides in the case till Feb 14...