SHC issues final notice to government in Dr Aafia case
KARACHI – Sindh High Court (SHC) has asked the government to submit comments in the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and her children.
The court on Tuesday gave last chance to the government to submit comments over the petitions pertaining to repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui and her two children from the custody of US authorities, and adjourned the hearing till April 15.
A division bench of SHC comprising Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Karim Khan Agha gave a two-week time to the federation to comply warning that in case of failure to do so, the case will be decided on the basis of contention in petitions.
The bench, on the request of Deputy Attorney General (DAG), also ordered that a third petition filed by a local NGO would also be clubbed with the two petitions filed by Amnesty International and Human Rights and Civil Liberties Society of Pakistan.
Earlier, Nisar A Mujahid Advocate, counsel for the HRCLSP, submitted that Dr Aafia and her two children were kept in illegal detention by the US authorities after they were arrested from Karachi. He said that Dr Aafia was subjected to inhuman treatment and pleaded the court to constitute a larger bench for the hearing of this case.
Mehfooz Yar Khan Advocate, counsel for Amnesty International, adopted the arguments by Nisar A Mujahid. Later, the court put off hearing till April 15.
CONTEMPT OF COURT NOTICE ISSUED TO NEW KARACHI UC
Another SHC bench, comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Safar Ali Bhutto, on Tuesday ordered nazim UC-8 New Karachi Town, Faisal, to appear in a contempt of court application.
The bench was hearing a contempt of court application, moved by Maqbool Begum who had alleged that despite repeated assurances from the TMA New Karachi Town and availability of funds, the concerned nazim failed to develop a park in the area.
The petitioner alleged that a few days ago, activists of a religious party in connivance of the UC-8 nazim, attempted to encroach the land of this dilapidated park.
She pleaded the court to take immediate notice of the issue. EDO (Law) of the CDGK, earlier, submitted that he had requested the TMA umpteen times to develop the said park. He stated that police were also failed in taking action against the encroachers.
To a query, counsel for petitioner claimed that earlier concerned police had assured the court that no illegal activity would be allowed at the said park. But, Maqbool Begum’s husband approached police, he was threatened, a sheer act of contempt of the court.
SOURCE: www.nation.com.pk
