Musharraf’s escape: Interior secretary pulled up for sparing capital’s top cop

Officer claimed his ministry did not have the mandate to initiate action.


Obaid Abbasi May 08, 2013
The ministry has already sent three names to the Establishment Division for appointing an inquiry officer to initiate an inquiry against him, says Interior Secretary. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD:


The capital’s high court on Tuesday shot down the interior secretary’s argument like his subordinate’s submission the day before and directed him to take action against Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Bani Amin Khan for his men’s failure to arrest Musharraf after his bail was rejected. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed Interior Secretary Javed Iqbal’s claim that only the premier could initiate disciplinary action against the capital’s IGP.


During the course of hearing when Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui resumed hearing of the case, Iqbal informed the court that his ministry could not take action against the IGP without the prime minister’s approval. The ministry has already sent three names to the Establishment Division for appointing an inquiry officer to initiate an inquiry against him, he added. Iqbal said the case file was forwarded to the law ministry for its opinion on this issue.

Justice Siddiqui got visibly annoyed at his answer and observed that this was simply a way of prolonging the matter.

The judge stated that the Supreme Court had also directed the interior ministry to initiate an inquiry against him but officials had adopted delaying tactics. The court directed the ministry to submit a report on Wednesday and adjourned the case.

On May 6, the IHC had summoned the interior secretary in person to explain what steps had been taken to initiate action against Khan.

SHO Aabpara summoned

In another case, Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi summoned Aabpara station house officer (SHO) in response to a petition filed by Haroon Rashid, son of former deputy cleric Lal Masjid,Ghazi Abdul Rashid, who had requested the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against former president Gen. (retd) Musharraf for launching a military operation in 2007 against the mosque’s leadership.

After primary hearing, the court issued a notice to SHO and adjourned the case till May 14.

On April 23, Additional Sessions Judge Rafaqat Ahmed Awan had rejected the application stating the petition was filed to gain “cheap popularity”.

The petitioner while challenging the trial court order had maintained that the victims’ families wanted to see justice done.

He had requested to the court set aside the trial court order and register FIR against the ex-army chief since was responsible for the ensuing bloodshed.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2013.

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