File photo of Bhagat Singh. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE: Two petitions seeking reopening of cases of executed Ghazi Ilm Din Shaheed and Bhagat Singh were filed before the Lahore High Court (LHC), on Friday, with recommendations to fix them before a full bench.
A single bench of the LHC referred the petitions to the chief justice.
Appearing before the court of Justice Shujat Ali Khan, counsel for petitioner Advocate Abdul Rasheed Qureshi requested the court that as the matter was of national interest and it should be fixed before a full bench.
The petitioner had submitted in the petition that Bhagat Singh was a freedom fighter and fought for the independence of the sub continent. He said he was hanged by the British Raj on March 23, 1931, following his trial for involvement in the conspiracy.
Imtiaz Rashid Qureshi of Saved Judiciary Committee in his petition had submitted that Singh was initially given life imprisonment but later he was awarded death sentence “in a case, which was fake.”
He said the governor Punjab at that time had constituted the tribunal through an ordinance, which was valid for four months and the tribunal started its proceedings six days prior to lapse of its tenure. He stated that the tribunal neither recorded statements of 450 witnesses nor did it listen to counter arguments from the defence side.
The petitioner argued that Bhagat Singh is respected in the subcontinent not only by Sikhs but also Muslims. He said Qauid-e-Azam twice paid him tribute during his speech in the central assembly.
He requested to reopen the case of Singh and declare him as innocent.
In his other petition for reopening the case of Ghazi Ilm Din, Qureshi said that a biased bench comprising LHC non-Muslim judges had given death sentence to the great Muslim Ghazi Ilm Din Shaheed in 1929 for killing a blasphemer. The counsel said that both judges’ decision was the violation of justice norms. He requested the court to reopen the case of Ghazi Ilm Din and form a full bench for its hearing.
He also asked the court to direct the government for martyr’s burial after acquitting him of the charges.
COMMENTS (23)
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@abdussamad:
Why don't you we go for a little social experiment?
I propose you go around telling everyone you are an Atheist and don't believe in God or Allah for one whole week in Pakistan. A short time really.
Are you up for it? You seemed confident of Atheists being safe.. What do you say?
Dr Tewari, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. Afzal Guru and Kasab may be terrorists to Indians but they are freedom fighters to Pakistanis.
@Dr.A.K. Tewari: Shaheed_e Aazam Bhagat singh was a well determined freedom fighter who had the courage of great Gurus
Doctor Tewari Sahib, Bhai Bhagat established an example for freedom fighters of the world. Honoring him and my great grand father, I named my youngest son as Bhagat Azad. that is all I will add here. Long Live his memory. JBSN.
It seems LHC has nothing to do....all the pending civil cases including bank defaulters cases has been decided
Many Afjal Guru has been hanged so far but not as a freedom fighter but as a terrorists . Bhagat Singh exploded the bomb at the floor of parliament but no one was killed . So don't compare him with Afzal Guru .
@kaalchakra: Sikhs and Muslims are brothers who fought against the British courageously under the Quaid’s great leadership. Then why did the Sikhs all move to India during partition? There are hardly 50 thousand Sikhs left in Pakistan while there are 19 million in India.
@BruteForce: Lots of atheists in Pakistan. Non of them have been persecuted.
I hope the court throws out this case and charges the petitioners with wasting the court's time.
afzal guru also fought for the freedom too but he was hanged by the Indian
It will be just symbolic reopening of the cases and change of verdict. These Indo-Pak legends already won heart of Billions.
@Shahzaib: Says "We are an Islamic country. No power on earth can undo that "
Are you trying to say Pakistan is a role model for an "Islamic country"? What exactly is an Islamic country? According to Saudi's Islam, Pakistan may not be an Islamic country. Saudi's still treat Pakistanis like servant class, whose forefathers were slave Hindus.forced to become Muslims.
Jab tak sooraj chaand rahega, Ghazi Ilm Din tera naam rahega. Sikhs and Muslims are brothers who fought against the British courageously under the Quaid's great leadership. The Quaid's services to Great Ghazi Ilm Din are unforgettable.
@Shahzaib:
"rest assured there will never be a compromise on Islam as long as a single Muslim calls Pakistan his home."
Bhagat Singh was an Atheist. He would be labeled as a Blasphemer by many Muslims in Pakistan had he lived today.
This is strange. Bhagat Singh was an Atheist. He has written a lot about his beliefs, that would make him a Blasphemer by Pakistan's present laws.
So, declare him innocent in one case, only to make him a guilty party in another?
Also, Bhagat Singh is an Indian. Why are Pakistanis asking an Indian to be declared innocent?
@Dr.A.K. Tewari:
Aaah Tewari, Calm down
So I am assuming there are no pending cases left in LHC and that is why they are going through back logs???
We are an Islamic country. No power on earth can undo that. Yet being Islamic doesn't stop us from appreciating the good deeds of others no matter what faith they adhere(d) to. By the way Ghazi Ilmu din's name is there as well.. and he killed a Hindu for blasphemy... no matter what the peace overtures be from Pakistan.... rest assured there will never be a compromise on Islam as long as a single Muslim calls Pakistan his home.
@Ahsan Raza: Ofcourse a good sign on the part of judiciary ,if it in accordance with the national motto of the new Pakistan .
Shaheed_e Aazam Bhagat singh was not innocent . He was a well determined freedom fighter who had the courage of great Gurus . As a Sikh he was loved by Sukh dev , Aazad and Asfaque Ullah . They were ready to kiss the gallows to make a free secular India . They fought to regain ''Aryawart ''. But their sacrifice went in vein . We got a fragmented India . Any way now we are capable to keep our boarder intact . ''NO FURTHER DIVISON IS POSSIBLE" .The entire world belongs to we Indian , including Pakistan and hence a stable Pakistan is our need too .
Bhagat singh was the true son of the Lahore. Sad this is happening in his own home we have hundreds of Monuments in respect of Martyrs Bhagat singh, Rajguru, Ashfaq Ulla Khan, Pandit Ram prasad Bismil, sukhdev etc We don't Identify them by their Religion.
You guys have nothing else to do?
Amazing thoughts and reality...hmm
Pakistan's true history being resurrected, Finally.