Runway was blocked to prevent Musharraf's plane from landing

KARACHI, Jan 29: A civil aviation official testified today that authorities switched-off the lights at the Karachi airport and blocked the runway with fire trucks to prevent Army Chief Gen Pervez Musharraf's passenger plane from landing, reports AP.

Aminuddin Chaudhury, the then civil aviation chief, issued the order according to Mohammed Asif, an air traffic controller at the airport, who testified on the fourth day of the trial against deposed premier Nawaz Sharif in an anti-terrorist court.

Sharif is charged with hijacking, attempted murder, kidnapping and terrorism in connection with an Oct 12 incident in which it is alleged that Musharraf's plane was denied permission to land, endangering the lives of everyone on board.

On that day, the military overthrew Sharif's government and seized power. The army revolted after Sharif dismissed Musharraf and replaced him with a junior general. At the time Musharraf was returning to Karachi from Sri Lanka.

By the time his aircraft finally was allowed to land, with apparently only seven minutes of fuel remaining, the army was in charge in Pakistan and Sharif and his colleagues were in custody. In his testimony, Asif recounted the orders he received from Chaudhury, who testified against his colleagues after being granted immunity by the prosecution.

Asif said he was told to divert the Pakistan International Airlines flight carrying Musharraf.

In other testimony from Eshanullah Gondal, a police official from the interior city of Nawabshah where the aircraft was ordered to land, said he had been told to surround the plane when it landed and keep everyone on the aircraft, including the general.

But before the plane could reach Nawabshah, the army was in control in Pakistan and the aircraft was ordered to return to Karachi.

Also charged in the same case is Sharif's brother, Shahbaz, former chief minister of Punjab province, Ghaus Ali Shah, former adviser on Sindh affairs; Saif-ur Rehman, former anti-corruption chief, Saeed Mehdi, a senior bureaucrat, Rana Maqbool Butt, former police chief and Saeed Khaqan Abbassi, former chairman of Pakistan International Airlines.

The prosecution plans to call 54 witnesses, all of whom will be cross examined by defence. Thus far in the trial five witnesses have testified.

The hearing will resume next Wednesday.