Monday 28 February 2011

LHC orders Federal & Punjab govts to submit reply on Davis facilities in jail


The Lahore High Court has ordered the federal and Punjab governments to submit a reply on March 14 on a petition challenging the alleged provision of VIP facilities in jail to USZ national Raymond Davis. The petition filed by lawyer Javed Iqbal Jafferi stated that the jail authorities were providing Davis with the food of his choice and that they were also facilitating him in his meetings. The petitioner said that there are 5,000 prisoners in Kot Lakhpat Jail and all of them should be treated equally and Raymond Davis should not be given special treatment by allowing him the use of internet and a mobile phone.

The Lahore High Court

The petition requested the court to demand an explanation from the government as to why Davis was not being treated as prescribed by the jail manual. The petitioner said the officials of the USZ Embassy meet with Raymond Davis for hours even after the visiting hours, which is an unlawful act hence the court should question the federal government in this regard. The LHC chief justice took the application under consideration and has given the federal government time till the 14th of March to submit reply the matter.

2 serving judges go missing


Two senior judges of Balochistan mysteriously went missing along with a bodyguard and a driver from the Usta Muhammad area of Jaffarabad district on Sunday. Official sources said that Sessions Judge Sibbi Jan Muhammad Gohar and Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Ali Kakar had gone to Usta Muhammad to attend a marriage ceremony. They went missing last night near the Bayer area of Usta Muhammad on their way back to Sibbi after attending the wedding. While confirming the abduction of judges, Naseerabad Assistant Commissioner Fateh Muhammad Kajak said that both judges, after taking tea with a friend in Dera Murad Jamali, left for Usta Muhammad and after sometime their contact with their family members was disconnected. “The vehicle of Jan Muhammad Gohar has been recovered from Goth Abdul Samad near Dera Murad Jamali. However, their whereabouts are not known”, he said, adding that all-out efforts were being made for the safe recovery of judges.

Jaffarabad district of Balochistan province (Pakistan)
Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs Akbar Hussain Durrani said that district administrations of Naseerabad and Jaffarabad and law enforcement agencies had been put on high alert and a search operation launched for the safe recovery of the judges. “...Law enforcement agencies have narrowed down space for anti-social elements and now in order to create harassment, they are taking such steps”, he said. “Judges were travelling without proper security”, he said, adding that the government is using all available resources for their safe recovery. Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani has taken serious notice of abduction of judges and sought a report from the secretary Home, the IG police and the commissioner Naseerabad Division, and directed them take effective measures for the safe recovery of the missing.

No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction of judges till filing this report late Sunday night. It may be mentioned that four lawyers, Saleem Akhtar, Syed Tahir Hussain, Agha Zahir Shah and Munir Ahmed were abducted a few days ago. Meanwhile, the lawyers’ community has strongly condemned the abduction of the two judges and announced a complete boycott of courts and protest rallies across the province on Monday (today).

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