Expressing concern over the non-delivery of notices to key witnesses and suspects in the Benazir Bhutto murder case, the Supreme Court has ruled that a notice be pasted outside former President Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s residence in Pakistan.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry – hearing a petition regarding the registration of a second FIR in the Bhutto murder case filed by former Protocol Officer of Benazir Bhutto Chuadhry Aslam – directed the Registrar’s Office to ensure a speedy process of delivery of notices to all parties. The chief justice observed that the case was not being taken seriously by anyone since a significant number of respondents in the case did not reply to the court notice.
The apex court was informed that Advocate Anwar Mansoor would represent Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who is also one of respondents in the petition.
The chief justice questioned the attorney general of Pakistan and said: “What should we do about him (Musharraf)?”
Justice Chaudhry also expressed his dissatisfaction and asserted, “Prosecutor General Punjab, neither are you telling us a way out of this nor are you assisting us with the service of the notice (to Musharraf).”
A formal application from the interior ministry has been moved to the Interpol headquarters in France for the issuance of red warrants against the former president. The request has been routed through a representative of the Interpol in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the attorney general informed the court that notices could not be sent to Musharraf because he was currently residing abroad, and to former law minister Babar Awan because he did not have a permanent office presently.
The court in its written order asked the attorney general to get complete addresses of Awan and serve a notice on his correct address within two days.
The court order also directed Punjab Police Inspector General Haji Habibur Rehman to ensure services of the notices upon Punjab police officers. However, in their written reply, former Rawalpindi city police chief Saud Aziz and former Rawalpindi city superintendent police Khurram Shehzad, maintained that there was no need of a second FIR since the first one was already being heard.
The court has accepted the Federal Investigative Agency’s (FIA) application seeking to be a respondent in the case. The FIA has been asked to appear before the court in the next hearing two weeks later.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 6th, 2012.
COMMENTS (3)
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Musharaf is great man
Notice was pasted, many people assembled around and reading, some smiling many silence, they were talking but in low volume,saying, he was good man,who saved Pakistan from American aggression.
I love reading this paper, late at night when the next day's edition shows up. It is so much more fun than watching late night comedy shows.