The Lahore High Court on Monday directed Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed to submit copies of agreements, if any, between Pakistan and the US, over drone strikes inside Pakistan.
LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial was hearing a petition filed by Saeed seeking orders for the federal government to ensure the end of drone strikes in Pakistan. He claimed the government was making no effort to stop drone attacks which have killed hundreds of innocent civilians.
Saeed’s counsel, Advocate A K Dogar, stated that the petition pertained to an important issue which needed to be decided upon immediately. He said the federal government should be directed to make information on all matters of public importance available to the people, especially the secret ‘deal’ with the US over drone strikes by implementing Article 19A of the Constitution, which entitles every Pakistani to have access to all information. Dogar asked the court to declare all pre-emptive strikes by foreign countries illegal under international law.
He added that the parliamentary resolution against US drone strikes passed by a joint session on May 14, 2011 needed to be implemented. Dogar said this was the voice of the people who could invoke the provisions of Article 14 of the Constitution to seek a declaration that to act against the voice of the people amounted to a violation of their fundamental rights. Chief Justice Bandial later adjourned the hearing till November 1.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 16th, 2012.
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@york: How can peace be reached by more violence? You can not force change. Sadly it does take time. Education is the key. Some people think they are better than others which is not true. Everyone is the same everywhere. There may be some physical differences because of geographical changes and of course who gives birth. but everything else people fight over was created by people. Is a ant or mouse in one place better than another? Of course not. We are the same. I think that when enough people understand this peace will be possible.
If judges are so anxious to take up Federal Government matters in hand, should resign, participate in election and come in power. Why LHC is active on issues related to Pakistan and KP-HC also following its steps in many matters, which actually are administrative decisions. What about millions of pending cased in LHC and SC, which no judge bother to take up and expedite? What about corruption in lower courts? What about laywers beating judges cases and lawyers bearting policemen? We need honest and impeccable character judges not the one sitting on political grounds.
This is never going to happen. As not only the former Army Chief will be exposed, but the current Army Chief's complicity will also come out in the open.
@Richard Genge: tell me another solution to destroy these talibani/islamic terrorist and its supporters who want to kill all nonmuslims and freethinkers while their national leaders cannot and don't have will power to do it more efficiently?
@Richard Genge: 100 % agree. You can't kill some one on presumtion of guilt. The old justice saying " innocent until proven guilt" holds true in any true justice system. Other wise it clear cut murder policy and more like might is right.
And i think that what most Pakistani believe in .
Spy using drone would be fine, but killing has entirely different moral ground.
Good step. Collateral damage & killing without proof & trial is inhuman. I shall blog about that as well.
I live in the United States and it never seemed right that these drones are used. I read in the Express Tribune after the attack on Malala a drone had killed ten "suspected" militants. Where is the proof they were guilty? No evidence, no trial, no verification. To me that is murder. I of course agree there needs to be security and freedom for all but people can not be killed just because it is thought they are guilty. Isn't that what the Taliban does? What do the people in Pakistan think?
Does LHC cerebrates that PPP's government shall hand over LHC the drones' strikes' accord with USA and shall highlight/inform the nation and LHC's judges honestly,sincerely and completely the real points written in the accord?????
A provincial HC has no business in federal affairs. Why is it that only LHC is active against the govt and not the other HC?
Its fact like day-light that there in no official accord on the subject, then why to demand something which does not exist. Wasn't it better to attend another case from the pile of files lying in-waiting for long time? And use public money for more useful purpose.