Court martial proceedings: Brig Khan shifted to undisclosed location

He was being treated at Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology.

RAWALPINDI:

The defence lawyer of Brig (retd) Ali Khan, who is facing a court martial for treason and mutiny, said on Tuesday that his client had been relocated from the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) in Rawalpindi in violation of Lahore High Court orders to provide him with medical care.

In an application filed in LHC’s Rawalpindi bench, Advocate Colonel (retd) Inamur Rahim claimed that Brig Khan was unlawfully shifted from the AFIC, where he was being treated for heart problems.

He informed the bench, headed by Justice Mazhar Iqbal Sidhu, that Brig Khan was present in a private room at the High Dependency Ward of the AFIC till Monday evening; however, he was relocated to an undisclosed location on Monday night, according to his family.

Lt Col Dr Waqar Paracha of the AFIC had been asked to appear before the LHC on March 12 due to concerns for Brig Khan’s health, however military authorities relocated Brig Khan from the AFIC before responding to the court’s orders, Rahim informed the bench.

The bench directed the deputy attorney general (DAG) to obtain an immediate response from the commandant AFIC, a major general. DAG Malik Faisal informed the court that medical authorities at the AFIC had no record of Brig Khan being received at the AFIC, Rahim said, adding that the court in its order once again directed Dr Paracha to appear before the court on Wednesday and reveal where Brig Khan had been taken.

Brig Khan has been charged with plotting to bomb the army’s General Head­quarters (GHQ) during a meeting of formation commanders. He is also facing charges of maintaining links with banned group Hizb-ut-Tahrir.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2012.