Human rights: Govt denies agreeing to illegal hand over

‘Reprieve’ says 7 Pakistanis were ‘extradited’ from Afghanistan.

LAHORE:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday told the Lahore High Court (LHC) that the government had had no role in the alleged abduction of seven Pakistanis and their extradition to another country from jails in Afghanistan.

The ministry submitted a written reply through a deputy attorney general (DAG) to a petition challenging the alleged abduction and extradition of Pakistani citizens detained at Afghan jails.

In its reply, the ministry said that the government was trying to arrange a meeting between the detained Pakistanis and their families through the International Red Cross.

The DAG said the had gone to Afghanistan to fight. He, however, argued that the petitioner had no locus standi in the matter and requested the court to dismiss the petition.

The petitioner had filed a civil miscellaneous application asking the court to summon the Inter-Services Intelligence director general (DG) contending that the agency had played a role in the abduction and extradition of Pakistani citizens from Afghanistan.

Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh raised the point whether the ISI DG could be made a party and asked the petitioner’s counsel to come up with arguments on the next date of hearing. The matter was adjourned till the last week of May.

The petition was filed by Sultana Noon, a fellow of Reprieve, a UK-based organisation dedicated to ensuring enforcement of human rights of prisoners, in Pakistan.

Pleading the case of seven Pakistani citizens detained at the Bagram Theatre Internment Camp in Afghanistan, the petitioner alleged that they were abducted from the prison and handed over to other countries without any reason.

The seven were identified as Awwal Khan, Hamidullah Khan, Abdul Haleem Saifullah, Fazal Karim, Amal Khan, Iftikhar Ahmad and Younas Rehmatullah.

Noon contended that Pakistani citizens suspected of involvement in any purported wrongdoing deserved to benefit from the presumption of innocence and due process rather then being summarily handed over to foreign powers.

She alleged that Pakistani authorities had a role in the abduction and extradition of the citizens to foreign countries.

The petitioner prayed that the respondent ministries be directed to make representation as required by law on behalf of the abducted citizens held at Bagram jail and the arrangements for their release and extradition.

She further prayed to the court to order registration of criminal cases against those involved in abduction of the citizens and their extradition.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2011.