Perween Rahman murder: Plea filed in SC seeking case transfer to Islamabad
Petitioner cites security threats in case involving land mafia
Perween Rahman. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
A petitioner has again approached the Supreme Court to move the hearing of Perween Rahman murder case from Karachi to Islamabad due to security threats from land grabbers.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), along with other organisations and individuals, had petitioned the apex court regarding investigation of Rahman’s murder, who was gunned down in March 2013.
Raheel Kamran Sheikh, a counsel for the petitioner, told The Express Tribune that he will again file plea for the transfer of case from Karachi due to security reasons.
Rahman, renowned social worker and director of Orangi Pilot Project, was shot dead in the militant-infested Orangi area of Karachi, allegedly by assailants belonging to a group of land grabbers having links with banned outfits.
The Sindh police registered an FIR on the direction of the Supreme Court, but have failed to arrest the main culprit.
On the other hand the family members of Perween Rahman claim that they were being threatened by the killers.
The case was heard at SC Islamabad registry till July 6, but the ex-chief justice Nasirul Mulk transferred it to Karachi registry as it was related to Sindh.
The case was fixed before Karachi registry twice on July 28 and September 4, but adjourned, as the counsel for the petitioners, Raheel Kamran Sheikh, underwent angiography and his medical condition did not allow him to travel to Karachi for argument.
The petitioners have prayed the chief justice to transfer the case back to Islamabad principal seat and fix it before any available bench for hearing.
They reminded that the petition for probe into the murder of Perween Rahman was instituted and filed in Islamabad on July 30, 2013, and the advocate on record for this case, Syed Safdar Hussain, was also from Islamabad.
Raheel Kamran twice filed the application for transfer of the case from Karachi to Islamabad registry, but the apex court declined it.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2015.
A petitioner has again approached the Supreme Court to move the hearing of Perween Rahman murder case from Karachi to Islamabad due to security threats from land grabbers.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), along with other organisations and individuals, had petitioned the apex court regarding investigation of Rahman’s murder, who was gunned down in March 2013.
Raheel Kamran Sheikh, a counsel for the petitioner, told The Express Tribune that he will again file plea for the transfer of case from Karachi due to security reasons.
Rahman, renowned social worker and director of Orangi Pilot Project, was shot dead in the militant-infested Orangi area of Karachi, allegedly by assailants belonging to a group of land grabbers having links with banned outfits.
The Sindh police registered an FIR on the direction of the Supreme Court, but have failed to arrest the main culprit.
On the other hand the family members of Perween Rahman claim that they were being threatened by the killers.
The case was heard at SC Islamabad registry till July 6, but the ex-chief justice Nasirul Mulk transferred it to Karachi registry as it was related to Sindh.
The case was fixed before Karachi registry twice on July 28 and September 4, but adjourned, as the counsel for the petitioners, Raheel Kamran Sheikh, underwent angiography and his medical condition did not allow him to travel to Karachi for argument.
The petitioners have prayed the chief justice to transfer the case back to Islamabad principal seat and fix it before any available bench for hearing.
They reminded that the petition for probe into the murder of Perween Rahman was instituted and filed in Islamabad on July 30, 2013, and the advocate on record for this case, Syed Safdar Hussain, was also from Islamabad.
Raheel Kamran twice filed the application for transfer of the case from Karachi to Islamabad registry, but the apex court declined it.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2015.