Pakistan

Missing prisoners case continues to linger

Chief Justice declines to meet intelligence officials in private, asks them to appear in court to share information.

Express November 12, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary on Friday declined to meet intelligence officials in private and asked them to appear in court if they wanted to share information.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice, was hearing case of the 11 missing prisoners. Justice Iftikhar said that he had not met intelligence officials in private as that would make the case non-transparent.

The Attorney General today informed the court that intelligence officials wanted to meet the Chief Justice in private to share sensitive information on the case.

The Chief Justice, however, directed the Attorney General to ask the intelligence officials to appear in court and speak before the bench instead.

The Attorney General said intelligence agencies have denied taking any person into illegal custody.

The bench has issued notices to all intelligence agencies to submit a written reply in this matter.

On Wednesday, a report presented to the Supreme Court by the Punjab Chief Secretary stated that the 11 missing prisoners had been handed over to intelligence agencies.

The hearing of the case has been adjourned till November 25.

COMMENTS (11)

Romm | 14 years ago | Reply States work on the principal of Checks and balance. Is there any Check on Judiciary? I think balance is in favour of Judiciary for a while. Better stop taking PCO judges as Saints! Its tug of War for empowerment of Judiciary not for poor.

Danish | 14 years ago | Reply @ Nadir....lol......hats off to that Lt Col.....what else the lawyers deserve......after seeing their hooliganism against police, judges and journalists......I would have done the same if i would have been in that Lt Colonel's place l!!!

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KM | 14 years ago | Reply All agency chiefs show your class, unlike the corrupt politicians ... Obey the courts, and earn your respect from the nation.

Syed Nadir El-Edroos | 14 years ago | Reply Early last year a Army Major or Lt. Colonel observing one of the sessions on the missing persons case, got up and started beating up a lawyer in the presence of the CJ of Pakistan. He calmly walked of claiming that he could not stand any utterance defaming Pakistan. Great! We are all equal before the law, but some of us in uniform are more equal than others.

Romm | 14 years ago | Reply Anyhow its fun looking at Tug of War between Intelligence agencies and CJ. Lets see who Wins this war of Nerves? Summoning of Pasha shall determine the future of CJ. What I know is that even a Major Genera won't appear in court what to talk of Pasha?

A Pakistani | 14 years ago | Reply A society who is CORRUPT from top to bottom (with politicians as it's public face) should not expect Judiciary to be a different lot from rest of the crowed.

Haris Chaudhry | 14 years ago | Reply What a load of rubbish from "PakistanI" and "Danish" Which Pakistan zindabad and Pak army paindabad you are referring to ..? The same mob that plots conspiracies against elected governments, pick people up at whim and operates in a total vacuum of justice and accountability..? This gung ho attitude serves no one. Even Israeli military and intelligence agencies are not above the law and elected gov's accountability. Here in this land of pure the agencies have been running amock without any responsibility towards any state institutions. About time that they are held responsible for their actions.. Haris

Danish | 14 years ago | Reply Mr CJ.....first look into your own house and correct it i.e. Lower and upper judiciary.......if judiciary is not corrupt and coward judges don't acquit terrorist on just one threatening phone call....Intel Agencies wont have to take these terrorists into their custody...... Pakistan Zindabad.....Armed Forces Paindabad!!!

Copper | 14 years ago | Reply That's a bold move CJ !! hats off for the daring step. I agree that its difficult to tame the beast but at least someone has the courage to call those who considers them above every law.

Pakistani | 14 years ago | Reply Nobody has a gut to recover missing people from our Brave agencies. PAK ARMY Zindabad.

RG | 14 years ago | Reply CJ Sahib... the whole country is gone missing these days... someone in Islamabad has highjacked everything....can we get our country back..

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