Registering protest: On being refused lawyer of choice, Brig Ali boycotts proceedings

A defending officer appointed to represent accused in court martial trial.


Mudassir Raja April 02, 2012
Registering protest: On being refused lawyer of choice, Brig Ali boycotts proceedings

RAWALPINDI: Brigadier (retd) Ali Khan, facing charges of attempting to overthrow the government in a court martial trial, boycotted the court proceedings on Monday, protesting against the refusal of military authorities to allow his lawyer to meet him. 

While talking to The Express Tribune, Advocate Colonel (retd) Inam-ur-Raheem, representing Brig Ali, asserted that his client did not attend proceedings because military authorities had not allowed him to see the ‘counsel of his choice.’

“On Sunday, Brig (retd) Ali asked me have a meeting with him. However, the authorities refused this demand,” said Inam.

“I was later informed that Lieutenant Colonel Khizar Hayat, hailing from General Headquarters’ (GHQ) legal branch, had been appointed as the defending officer for the accused,” he added.

Under military laws, an accused is provided a defending officer only if he cannot afford a lawyer or he assents to have a serving officer defending him in the court.

Lamenting the indifferent attitude of the concerned military authorities, Inam pointed out that he himself had been allowed to see the accused earlier only after the Lahore High Court (LHC) had directed to do so.

Inam went on to add that Brig Ali had also urged the court to grant him permission to see the federal government‘s directives which pertained to his retirement.

The accused continues to maintain that he cannot be tried under military laws since he has already retired from the armed forces.

On May 5, the military authorities detained Brig Ali, accused to have links with the banned Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT).

COMMENTS (9)

Iron hand | 12 years ago | Reply

@Pakistan politics: Everyone is lying that is saying everything is lie against him. Gee, so easy to make vapid arguments!

Truth Syrup | 12 years ago | Reply

They are so afraid of what he might say. Cheap tactics being used against him.

Sincere People in the armed forces should take a stance against the corrupt leadership and help Brig Ali. Liberation is only in Islam, and implementing Islam all the levels just like Abu-Bakr, Omer, Usman, and Ali (RA). This is the only solution for all our problems that we face today as a Muslim Ummah.

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