The trial of the ousted Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, has been adjourned until next Wednesday after several prosecution witnesses recorded their statements and were cross-examined.

The trial centres on the events of 12 October, the date of the military coup in which General Pervez Musharraf seized power.

Nawaz Sharif is accused of having given orders to prevent the General's plane from landing, despite it being low on fuel, thereby endangering the lives of all those on board.

The BBC's correspondent in Karachi, Owen Bennett-Jones, says public interest in the trial is waning and it is no longer front-page news.

But there is support for both points of view presented in court by the prosecution and the defence.

Prosecution witnesses described how they had been ordered to close Karachi airport under the orders of senior officials.

Bashir Ahmed Memon, superintendent of Karachi police, said he was summoned to the airport on the evening of 12 October and asked to bring armoured personnel carriers with him.

Mr Memon said the senior most police official of Sindh province, where Karachi is located, ordered him to take over the airport.

"[He said] it was an order from the top and we have to stop the plane which is carrying the army chief," Mr Memon told the court.

Runway blocked

Another witness, airport fire chief Asadullah Sheikh, said he was asked to block the runway.

"Three vehicles went over and blocked runway 25. Immediately after that the lights were switched off on the runway," Mr Sheikh said in his testimony.

On Thursday, the pilot of the plane carrying General Musharraf spoke of his fears for the safety of those on board because he was low on fuel.

Captain Syed Sarwat said he was told at first by Karachi air traffic control that he could not land there or anywhere else in Pakistan.

He later landed the aircraft after being reassured by a general on the ground that the army had secured the airport.

Mr Sharif's defence lawyers have been arguing that he only tried to stop the plane landing after the coup had been launched.

Mr Sharif, his brother, Shahbaz, and five others have been charged with abduction, attempted murder, hijacking and terrorism.

All have pleaded not guilty. If convicted of the hijacking charge, they face the death penalty.

Mr Sharif has been in detention since he was overthrown in the coup.