‘Wajibul Qatl’ remark: Awan knocks on SC door against Sanaullah

Asks for formation of judicial commission to investigate minister’s statement .

ISLAMABAD:

Former Federal Law Minister Dr Babar Awan on Monday moved an application before the chief justice of Pakistan praying for the formation of a judicial commission to probe Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah’s recent statement allegedly declaring the applicant liable to be murdered (Wajibul Qatl).

Awan expressed in the application that if anything ‘wrong’ was to happen to his life, property or family, Sanaullah should be held responsible.

He contended that certain outlaws were asked to assassinate him while he was travelling to Gujranwala from Lahore. He added that this conspiracy was disclosed to a former federal minister from Balochistan who is ready to speak in front of the court.

Awan said that the Punjab government was desperate to arrest him on a false charge or pretext in order to facilitate an attack on his life either in the jail, police station or somewhere in lower court’s premises.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday dismissed a writ petition seeking a criminal case against Sanaullah for making the statement against Awan.

At the outset of the hearing, Advocate Ansar Mehmood said he filed the petition as being a lawyer and a citizen of Pakistan. He added that Sanaullah was an advocate and his alleged act tarnished the image of the entire legal fraternity. He also pleaded before the court that the law minister continued to hurl threats at Awan, and should, therefore, be prosecuted under criminal law.

LHC Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry remarked that the petitioner had no locus standing to file the instant petition, which was based on ‘mere apprehensions’.

“If Babar Awan has some grievance against the law minister, then he should approach the court directly,” Chaudhry observed, while dismissing the petition.

The petitioner submitted that the minister, who is meant to be responsible for law and order in the province, issued the statement while ignoring his position and authority, and, therefore, a FIR should be lodged against him. (with additional reporting by Rana Tanveer in Lahore)

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2011.