SHC seeks arguments on declaring Rao Anwar's house as sub-jail
Hearing adjourned on petition requesting JIT reports to be made public
Former Malir SSP Rao Anwar and Naqeebullah Mehsud. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Monday lawyers of concerned parties to come prepared on the next hearing to present arguments on the petition against declaring former Malir SSP Rao Anwar's house as a sub-jail.
SSP Anwar was arrested after he was nominated as a suspect in the murder case of Naseemullah Mehsud, commonly known as Naqeebullah. However, instead of shifting him to prison, the authorities have detained him at his house.
A counsel for the petitioner, Faisal Siddiqui, argued that declaring the SSP's house a sub-jail was illegal. He informed the SHC that despite being under arrest, the suspect was enjoying the luxury of living in his house, yet, he wanted additional facilities.
The lawyer also claimed that witnesses in the case were being harassed.
Rao Anwar gets B-class prison facilities
Adjourning the hearing till June 29, the SHC directed lawyers of both the petitioner and defendant to continue with their arguments on the next hearing.
The petitioner, Naqeebullah's father Muhammad Khan, had maintained in his plea that declaring SSP Anwar's house a sub-jail was illegal and the home department had not issued any notification in this regard. The father also claimed that the SSP had murdered many innocent people and, therefore, did not deserve the facility of staying at his home while he was under arrest.
In the meantime, Naqeebullah's family and tribesmen staged a protest outside the SHC and demanded the immediate arrest of Shoaib Shooter and other suspects involved in the Naqeebullah murder case. The protesters also raised placards inscribed with slogans against the alleged special treatment being meted out to SSP Anwar.
Petition on JIT reports
The SHC also heard the petition requesting the reports prepared by joint investigation teams (JIT) on high-profile cases to be made public.
The petition was filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Ali Zaidi. He had maintained that people had the right to know the findings of investigations in high-profile cases such as those concerning Baldia factory fire and crimes of Lyari gang war kingpin Uzair Baloch.
Rao Anwar appears in SHC for registering fake case against Naqeebullah
A junior lawyer from the advocate-general's (AG) office appeared before the SHC, to which the court expressed its displeasure. The lawyer informed the court that Barrister Zameer Ghumro had recently resigned from the post of AG. The high court directed that either the new AG or an additional AG should appear on the next hearing.
The petitioner's lawyer requested the court to adjourn the hearing. The SHC allowed the request, fixing the next hearing for July 30.
According to Zaidi's lawyer, Umer Soomro, the government has been trying to delay the matter for seven months. He was of the view that the JIT reports on the Baldia factory fire and crimes of Baloch and Nisar Morai should be made available to the public. The Lahore High Court had also set a precedent in this regard by ordering to make public the JIT report on the Model Town massacre, he said.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Monday lawyers of concerned parties to come prepared on the next hearing to present arguments on the petition against declaring former Malir SSP Rao Anwar's house as a sub-jail.
SSP Anwar was arrested after he was nominated as a suspect in the murder case of Naseemullah Mehsud, commonly known as Naqeebullah. However, instead of shifting him to prison, the authorities have detained him at his house.
A counsel for the petitioner, Faisal Siddiqui, argued that declaring the SSP's house a sub-jail was illegal. He informed the SHC that despite being under arrest, the suspect was enjoying the luxury of living in his house, yet, he wanted additional facilities.
The lawyer also claimed that witnesses in the case were being harassed.
Rao Anwar gets B-class prison facilities
Adjourning the hearing till June 29, the SHC directed lawyers of both the petitioner and defendant to continue with their arguments on the next hearing.
The petitioner, Naqeebullah's father Muhammad Khan, had maintained in his plea that declaring SSP Anwar's house a sub-jail was illegal and the home department had not issued any notification in this regard. The father also claimed that the SSP had murdered many innocent people and, therefore, did not deserve the facility of staying at his home while he was under arrest.
In the meantime, Naqeebullah's family and tribesmen staged a protest outside the SHC and demanded the immediate arrest of Shoaib Shooter and other suspects involved in the Naqeebullah murder case. The protesters also raised placards inscribed with slogans against the alleged special treatment being meted out to SSP Anwar.
Petition on JIT reports
The SHC also heard the petition requesting the reports prepared by joint investigation teams (JIT) on high-profile cases to be made public.
The petition was filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Ali Zaidi. He had maintained that people had the right to know the findings of investigations in high-profile cases such as those concerning Baldia factory fire and crimes of Lyari gang war kingpin Uzair Baloch.
Rao Anwar appears in SHC for registering fake case against Naqeebullah
A junior lawyer from the advocate-general's (AG) office appeared before the SHC, to which the court expressed its displeasure. The lawyer informed the court that Barrister Zameer Ghumro had recently resigned from the post of AG. The high court directed that either the new AG or an additional AG should appear on the next hearing.
The petitioner's lawyer requested the court to adjourn the hearing. The SHC allowed the request, fixing the next hearing for July 30.
According to Zaidi's lawyer, Umer Soomro, the government has been trying to delay the matter for seven months. He was of the view that the JIT reports on the Baldia factory fire and crimes of Baloch and Nisar Morai should be made available to the public. The Lahore High Court had also set a precedent in this regard by ordering to make public the JIT report on the Model Town massacre, he said.