SC displeased with slackness in missing persons case
The SC said non-serious attitude of the government with regards to recovery of missing persons is not acceptable.
A 3-member bench of SC presided over by Justice Mian Shakir Ullah Jan took up the case for hearing Tuesday.
Additional Attorney General (AAG) KK Agha told the court 134 out of 382 missing persons had been recovered while 138 persons were being traced out. The chairman of the commission will soon be appointed, he added.
The court issued directives for appointment of the commission chairman within a week and questioned why chairman had not been appointed so far while government was given only one-week time in this connection.
The chairman of the commission be appointed forthwith, the court directed.
The Deputy Attorney General (DAG) told the court cases of 10 missing persons were very old and efforts were underway to trace out. Seven missing persons who were incorporated in another list of missing persons had been traced out, he said.
The Defence Ministry had constituted a special committee which was investigating the old cases, he said.
He submitted that Justice (Retd) Fazlur Rehman, chairman of a two-member inquiry commission, had joined the Election Commission and new chairman in his place would be appointed soon.
Justice Jawad S Khawaja expressed displeasure over it, saying Justice (Retd) Fazlur Rehman had joined the Election Commission six months ago.
KK Agha said the Interior Secretary remained preoccupied due to the Karachi situation due to which the delay occurred. One-week time be allowed and the chairman would be appointed, he pleaded.
Justice Shakir Ullah Jan observed it was responsibility of the government to trace out missing persons.
KK Agha said statistics were being collected about the missing persons in Balochistan and intelligence agencies were not involved.
Justice Shakir Ullah Jan said: “You should file a written reply”. KK Agha said a written reply would be filed within a week.
Aamna Masud Janjua, chairperson Defence of Human Rights, said no commission was working with reference to missing persons.
FIA chief served contempt notice in BB murder case
May 21, 2011 by Trend PK
Filed under Breaking News
RAWALPINDI: Hearing the Benazir Bhutto’s assassination case, a special anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday issued a contempt of court notice to Director General of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Malik Iqbal for changing Investigation Officer and summoned him on May 30.
ATC judge Rana Nisar Ahmed Khan heard the Bhutto assassination case at Adiyala prison.
Special Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar told the court that Investigation Officer Khalid Rasool has now been placed with Shuja Naveed.
On this, the judge expressed his anger, saying that Khalid Rasool was to submit his report about the implementation of Pervez Musharraf’s arrest warrant.
“Why was he changed,” the judge asked, saying that it was done in defiance of the court’s orders.”
The court then issued a contempt of court notice to FIA chief and adjourned the case till May 30. TrendPK
Govt files petition seeking change of lawyer in NRO case
The Supreme Court has proposed the government to get services of Additional Attorney General KK Agha in the case. Advocate Kamal Azfar told the court that the government had asked him to not appear before the court in this case.
The CJP remarked that the case was adjourned on October 13 because Kamal Azfar was appointed as advisor, when the case was adjourned, he tendered resignation. The CJP further remarked that the court would allow the change of lawyer if the government issued a notification of Kamal Azfar’s appointment as government advisor.
The CJP said that the court would issue its verdict if the government lawyers failed to appear before the court. The case was adjourned till April 14.
Kazmis judicial remand extended for 14 days
Former religious affair minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi was brought to the senior civil judge of Islamabad Aslam Gondal’s court in Haj corruption case on Wednesday.
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director General Khalid Butt told the court that the FIA found 14 plots that were registered against the name of Kazmi’s family members. He said that the total value of plots was estimated around Rs 4 million and the FIA would submit evidence to the court in this regard.
Extending the judicial remand of the former minister, the court sent him to jail for 14 days.
Hajj scam: SC asks Govt to pull DG FIA out of probe
Expressing dissatisfaction over the probe being conducted by FIA, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the government to remove DG FIA Wseem Ahmed, who is alleged of influencing the Hajj corruption scandal probe, trendpk.com reported.
During the hearing of a suo moto notice of Hajj corruption scam, Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday maintained, The court is fed up of the way the case is being probed.
While Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry observed that Interior Minister Rehman Malik has told the court that he has the discretionary power to exclude any name from the Exit Control List (ECL) whereas the power resides with the Interior Secretary. DG FIA Waseem Ahmed told the court that he has written to the government to exclude him from the ongoing investigation into the Hajj corruption. In the meantime, former federal minister Azam Swati has also submitted more evidence into the apex court and expressed dissatisfaction with the FIA probe. The court subsequently adjourned the hearing to January 20.
Police torture on students: LHC summons Secy Education
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry summoned the Education Secretary on Tuesday in a case regarding police torture on students and teachers outside the Punjab Assembly. Hearing a suo moto notice, the Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry also sought a detailed report on the private academies being run by the teachers and directed the Punjab government to make a party to teachers, who forced the students to take to streets. Additional Advocate General told the court that teachers are running their private academies in the cover of government jobs. The court said those violating the rules and regulations should be fired from jobs.
During the course of hearing, Punjab government lawyer told the court that the proposed Board of Governor is meant to maintain discipline at the educational institutes and it will, in no way, result into rise in the students fee.
If Board of Governors has to restore the discipline at colleges then Secretary Education is being paid for what? he questioned. In its report submitted to the court, police said that they tried to prevent the protesting students and teachers from damaging public property.
Chief Justice Chaudhry remarked that police have the right to stop the protesters, not to beat them.
NICL Scandal: SC directs to recover money till 11th January
Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed FIA to recover all the misappropriated amount in the NICL scandal till 11th January, 2011, Dunya New reported on Thursday.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary has said that the time has to come to save the national exchequer. Director FIA Zafar Iqbal Qureshi told the court that Rs.1.40 billion have been recovered uptil now. He also informed the court that Ayaz Niazi is under arrest in Karachi and home secretary has been asked to transfer him to Lahore.
Chief Justice ordered him not to indulge in useless documentation and said that a letter should be obtained from the apex court to transfer Ayaz Niazi to Lahore. Justice Khalil-ul-Rehman Ramday inquired that how much money has been recovered from Ayaz Niazi till now. The court was informed that Khawaja Anwer, the front man of Ayaz Niazi, is in the UK while owner of land Khalid Anwer is in the USA and that red notices have been issued for their arrest. Chief Justice got annoyed with this and remarked that why have their passports not been canceled.
SC issues stay order against transfer of Gawadar port land
The Supreme Court of Pakistan ahs issued stay order against the transfer of Gawadar Port land, News Trends reported on Wednesday. The court remarked that the transfer of Gawadar port land to any private company could not be allowed.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary, issued the stay order on the petition of Watan Party. Watan Party’s counsel Barrister Zafarullah told the court that although 600-kilometr of land was given to Singapore Authority International on a lease of 40 years after an agreement but even after three years of agreement no work has been started. On this occasion the Chief Justice questioned that in presence of the Attorney General of Pakistan why is the government hiring private lawyers. He said that the services of private lawyers could only be hired if the Attorney General has a difference of opinion on any issue with the government. Hence it is against the stature and prestige of Attorney General and proves distrust on him. The hearing of the case has been adjourned fro three weeks.
Hajj Scam: CJ Orders Arrest of All Accused
December 7, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under Breaking News
News Trends: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has ordered arrest of all those allegedly involved in Hajj scandal including the secretary of religious affairs.
During the course of hearing of a suo moto notice of Hajj scam, the CJ gave a dressing-down to FIA officials over non-appearance of DG FIA, saying that Close down the FIA office; its not a small issue, two ministers are involved, secretary is standing in the court; make him appear in the court tomorrow.
The CJP asked former DG Rao Shakeel that why the government selected him for the post despite his name on the ECL and allegations of Rs300million embezzlement in Multan Development Authority. Has the government no upright man for the post that it appointed you, the Chief Justice asked Rao sarcastically. Rao replied that the Establishment appointed him. Chief Justice lamented that if the corruption is made in the name of religion than only God can save the country. When the secretary for religious affairs told the court that he was appointed 10 days ahead of Hajj flights, the CJ said to him that he should have surrendered over corruption. Justice Ramday quizzed the secretary if he visited Saudi Arabia to check the accommodations for the pilgrims and other arrangements in this regard. The secretary told the court that the government has returned around 2000 to 1600 riyals to 32,000 Hujjaj.
Govt. withdrawing NAB ordinance: AG
Attorney General Maulvi Anwar Ul Haq has said that the government is withdrawing the NAB amendment ordinance, trendpk.Com reported on Thursday.
On the other hand Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary has ordered that no one should benefit from the ordinance while the withdrawal notice should be produced in the court by 7th December this year.
A three-member bench heard the case of NAB ordinance. The bench was led by the Chief Justice of Pakistan. Attorney General of Pakistan told the court that the government has decided in principle to withdraw the notice. The hearing of the said case was adjourned till 7th December, 2010.
