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Friday, December 09, 2011
AGP admonished for clarification to media over memo case hearingISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has expressed annoyance over Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Maulvi Anwarul Haq who issued a clarification to media that he had appeared before a nine-member bench in the memo scandal case on the court notice and thus not represented the federation.
The CJP on Thursday, while hearing a suo moto case pertaining to Lahore Sabza Zaar Police torture on a 15-year old boy, told the AGP that being a chief law officer in the country he represented the federation and whether he should be asked in every case that the government had permitted him for representing it or not.
The CJP said his appearance in any case would be the representation of the government and there was no need to issue notice to him in every case.
He further asked him that if the matter would be critical then his appearance before the bench would be binding.
He further said the country was being ruled through a Constitution and everyone was bound to act under it and according to constitutional definition, the AG was the representative of the government.
Everyone should cooperate with the judiciary for a just national cause. If you kept on asking in which case you have to represent the government, you would be ultimately undermining the importance of your office, he added.
The CJP advised him that such statements should not be aired in TV talk shows, which could harm the integrity of the country.
Punjab IGP: Meanwhile, heading a two-member bench on a suo motu case regarding alleged death of a youth Basharat due to police torture in Sabzazar Lahore, he expressed his displeasure over the response of Punjab police authorities.
Seeking a compliance report within 15 days from Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Malik Javaid Iqbal, the CJP censured him by saying that the cops had failed to protect lives of residents in the province.
The CJP grilling the IGP said if the court’s interference could make the law and order situation in Karachi stable then it would be no problem for them to resolve worsening law and order situation in Punjab as well.
He said the Punjab police had failed to protect the lives of the people as the police violence over the innocent people was increasing day by day.
The CJP said Members of Punjab Assembly (MPAs) were also pointing out about No Go Areas in the Punjab and if the police would not take action over it the court would be compelled to interfere in the matter.
He observed that police had submitted a fake medical report and tried to conceal the facts. “ There was no one to protect a poor guy and entire police was trying to save their community by sending a fake report to SC,” CJP added with anger. He observed that medical report given by the police mentioned four injuries while the victim received 40 injuries. Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry asked the IGP that he had already given an affidavit to the court that no citizen will fell victim to police torture in Punjab. The CJP regretted that Punjab police tortured nurses protesting for their rights and still they claimed members of a civilized society.
The IGP submitted that it was police negligence but when nurses tried to damage vehicles and police security was not enough, they took action against them as a last resort. The CJP observed that police must have some other way to tackle such situation instead of torturing nurses.
“You must realise that these nurses help poor patients and always keep in your mind that they are like our daughters,” CJP added with anger.
The CJP directed the IGP to recite Holly Quran before going to his office and read Article 9 of the constitution. Justice Chaudhry told him that he had failed in performing his duties. ”If you can not protect the poor masses, you will also have to leave as court is not satisfied with the police performance,” CJP added.
Punjab Acting Advocate General (AAG) Muhammad Hanif Khitana submitted before the court that he had also made another inquiry of the incident and boy was not tortured by the police but masses beaten him considering a thief. He said police only brought him back to the police station. CJP asked him to submit the inquiry report conducted by the DIG Maj (r) Mubashar Ullah within 15 days and disposed of the case. staff report
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk