ISLAMABAD:
After three months of proceedings, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday disposed of a petition challenging the illegal detention of an activist of a banned organisation, directing the petitioner to approach the Lahore High Court instead.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Sadia Rahat, the wife of Hizbut Tahrir (HuT) activist Naveed Butt, who had alleged that her husband was being illegally detained by intelligence agencies.
The Punjab Additional Advocate General Jawad Hassan contended that the case should be pursued in the LHC, since the First Information Report was lodged in Lahore, which is outside the IHC’s jurisdiction.
However, Umar Hayat Sandhu, the petitioner’s counsel, argued that the respondents belong to the federal government and the case should proceed in the IHC. He also said that the IHC had heard previous cases of missing persons belonging to HuT.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court directed the petitioners to approach the LHC.
According to the petition, Butt was picked up from Liaquatabad in Lahore on May 5, when he was on his way to pick up his children from school.
Sandhu had said that Butt had received threatening calls from unknown persons and despite repeated directions from the court, the agencies had failed to produce him.
On July, 26 the same bench had directed the Inspector General of the Punjab Police to produce Butt within 15 days, however the agencies’ representatives told the court that the missing activist was not in their custody.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2012.
COMMENTS (5)
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Independent judiciairy- my foot
No fair! How come the so called independent judiciary do nothing! Now i know how Justice delayed is justice denied.
This is the sick justice system of Pakistan... Everyone knows that Naveed Butt was abducted by Kayani's thugs and we see this kind of antics by the courts of Pakistan... shame on Pakistani courts and media for delaying justice to this family...
Thats not fair at all. Why are they transferring case to LHC after making family wait for 3 months. British judicial system can never provide justice. As they say Justice delayed is justice denied....