IHC seeks reply from federal govt over Jodhpur incident

The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the federal government in the case pertaining to the deaths of 11 Pakistani Hindus in India's Jodhpur.

The court further sought a reply from the foreign secretary and cabinet division secretary on the petition submitted on the incident.

Indian authorities have tried to present the tragic incident as a mass suicide but refused to share details of the investigation with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi..

Chief Justice Athar Minallah presided the hearing at the request of the IHC Bar and lawyer Chaudhry Haseeb prayed upon the court that he had filed the petition in public interest.

“The Hindu family went to India and were killed by RAW [Research and Analysis Wing] through RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] terrorist faction because the family refused to spy for them,” the lawyer claimed and added that it was the spy agency itself which provided accommodation to the Hindu family.

The counsel said that the federal government and the Foreign Office should be directed to take the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to ensure justice to the affected families.

The role of the Indian embassy in the killing of 11 Hindus could not be ignored, the counsel added. The petition also stated that Indian mission was trying to destabilise the region by going against diplomatic etiquettes.

Justice Minallah remarked that "it is our constitutional responsibility to take care of minorities.” The court then adjourned the hearing of the case indefinitely.