Kamra attack case: LHC restrains action against 3 PAF employees

Rawalpindi bench issues notices to defence ministry, PAF.

RAWALPINDI:

The Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench on Friday issued notices to the defence ministry and Pakistan Air Force (PAF), preventing them from taking action against the accused in the Kamra airbase attack case.

Colonel (retd) Inamur Rahim, the lawyer representing accused senior airman Shawaiz Khan, senior technician Zafar Abbas and corporal technician Mirza Waseem Iqbal, filed a petition at the LHC after airbase personnel prevented him from entering the premises on November 4, 2013.

The petition also requested that the court ask why an inquiry report into the attack has not yet been submitted despite repeated inquiries, and also why no action was taken against senior air force officials.



The attorney had informed LHC judge Justice Shahzada Mazhar that on November 4 he had appeared before the PAF court for the defence of his client but when he sought necessary documents related to the court martial proceedings the PAF authorities banned his entry into the court as they had not received his security clearance.

PAF representative present in the court replied that the base commander has the authority to prevent the counsel from entering the base; however, he could not quote any law under which the base commander could stop the lawyer from entering the base.

“When I asked what action has been taken against high officers, the authorities banned my entry,” said Rahim, while talking to The Express Tribune. He added that this was against Article 10-A of the Constitution which ensured a  fair trial.

The PAF representative requested the court to grant him time for preparation and the court accepted his request fixing November 27 as the next date of hearing. Moreover, the LHC Rawalpindi bench also stopped the PAF authority from taking any action against the accused.

The strategically important airbase came under attack on an August night when at least nine militants stormed the base destroying a Saab 2000 surveillance aircraft and killing a security official.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd, 2013.