SC seeks details from NACTA in Hazara killing case

CJ Gulzar remarks freedom of citizens couldn't be restricted in such a way

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the list of officers and details of responsibilities of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) in a suo moto case against the targeted killing of the Hazara community.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heard the suo moto case. The chief justice questioned the additional attorney general (AAG) whether the issues of the Hazara community had been resolved.

The AAG said the names of people were put in the Fourth Schedule at the request of the Balochistan government.

The Balochistan AAG apprised the bench that those names would be reviewed in a meeting of the review board scheduled for November 24.

The chief justice remarked that the remaining names should also have been deleted after many others had already been removed from the list. Apparently, the high court had resolved this matter, he observed.

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Chief Justice Gulzar remarked that the freedom of the citizens couldn't be restricted in such a way. The AAG requested the court to grant time till November 24.

Meanwhile, Nacta member Asif Saifullah appeared before the bench and adopted the stance that Nacta had no role regarding putting names on the Fourth Schedule. It was the federal government, which took such a decision, he said.

On a query by the bench, the member said his department only uploaded the names on the website. The chief justice remarked that how an officer of BPS-21 could be given this task when only an assistant could be deputed for this work.

The court sought details of officers along with the responsibilities of Nacta before adjourning the case till the next date.

(With input from APP)