LAHORE – A constitutional petition has been filed in the Supreme Court at the Lahore Registry to seek contempt of court action against Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Yousaf Aujla on the charges that he released double murder accused Raymond Davis, executing a ‘conspiracy’ and acting in violation of the Constitution of Pakistan and the law. The petition has been filed by Watan Party President Barrister Zafarullah Khan while contending that he had moved an application on January 31 to seek open court trial of Raymond which was still pending with the apex court.
He says the release of Raymond is a result of conspiracy which is evident from the fact that the court gave the verdict within two hours without observing the procedure of the law and meeting the legal requirements. The petitioner pleads that the court did not probe into the veracity of the legal heirs of the deceased Faizan and Fahim, adding that the police was bound to ascertain the genuineness of the legal heirs within 15 days under Section 345 of CrPC but unfortunately the law was not followed.
In a sheer haste and after a short proceeding, Magistrate Attiq Anwar penalised Raymond with fine and the time he spent in the prison to exonerate him in the case of keeping illegal firearm, he adds. The petitioner argues that the US national committed heinous offence of killing citizens in addition to espionage as a CIA agent in Pakistan and the case against Raymond by any stretch of imagination did not merit his release, adding that even the Diyat law, according to him, could have at the maximum, reduced the punishment to a sentence of 14 years imprisonment under Sections 311 and 338E of the PPC. But through a collusion and plan, his release was secured and was flown out of the country through an aircraft already waiting for him at the airport, Zafar argues. It was managed under a plan and the trial court did not take cognisance of all these facts, the petition says.
