State asked to file comments in Dr Aafia petitions
KARACHI: A Sindh High Court (SHC) division bench asked the federal government to file or otherwise comment on the constitution petitions pertaining to the repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui and her two children from the custody of US authorities back to Pakistan.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha, also accorded two weeks time to the federation to do so and in case of failure, the petition will be decided on the basis of the contention in the petitions.
The bench, on a request by Deputy Attorney General (DAG) for Pakistan, also ordered that a third petition (CP 2316/ 2006) filed by a local NGO, be clubbed with the two petitions filed by Amity International and Human Rights and Civil Liberties Society of Pakistan (HRCLSP).
Earlier Advocate Nisar A Mujahid, counsel for HRCLSP, submitted that Dr Aafia and her two children were kept in illegal detention by the US authorities after they were arrested from Karachi and later shifted to Afghanistan and then to USA.
The counsel said that the acts against Dr Aafia constitute heinous crimes. He prayed to the court that in view of the importance of the matter, a larger bench be constituted.
Advocate Mehfooz Yar Khan, counsel for Amity International, adopted the arguments by Mujahid today. The bench has put off further hearing of the case till April 15.
SOURCE: www.dailytimes.com.pk
