HARIPUR: The anti-terrorism court here on Tuesday continued recording the statement of investigation officer (IO) in the Mashal Khan lynching case.

The hearing was held in the Central Jail, Haripur, where investigation officer Inspector Faazil Khan of Sheikh Maltoon police station resumed recording his statement as it was not completed during the previous hearing held in the ATC in Abbottabad on November 11.

One of the 1(ey eyewitnesses Abdullah, a student of Abdul Wali Khan University who is said to be in Saudi Arabia, was also to testify against the accused through video link, but according to prosecution counsel Hafiz Kala Khan he could not turn up to record his evidence dueto his illness.

Kala Khan said that recording of statement of the investigation officer was likely to continue for another couple of hearings after which he would be crossexamined by the defence counsel.

He said that 48 prosecution witnesses had so far testified while the prosecution had decided to record the evidence of only three more witnesses, and abandon 17 others.

Judge Fazle Subhan Khan adjourned the case till Thursday where IO Faazil Khan would again continue his statement.

Senior public prosecutor Abdul Hameed Khan led the team of two public prosecutors, while from the defence side advocate Fazle Haq Abbasi, Javed Tanoli, Masood Azhar and Atif Jadoon appeared before the court.