LAHORE – The Lahore High Court dismissed an application seeking prosecution against government functionaries who allegedly facilitated Raymond Davis’ release by paying Diyat money from the national exchequer. The court dismissed the application because the petitioner counsel failed to appear in court on Wednesday.
Justice Iftikhar Hussain was hearing the plea filed by Rana Ilamuddin Ghazi submitting that trial judge left lacunas in the case and acted in haste. He alleged that Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Yousaf Aujla acted in violation of Sharia Law as neither identification of all legal heirs was confirmed nor any time was given to ascertain the fact whether all of them made statements without coercion and duress.
He alleged that Raymond had remained involved in anti-Pakistan activities for three years but the investigators did not probe him on these lines. Rana said that as per media reports, the government paid Diyat money on behalf of the accused from the national exchequer which the Diyat law did not allow. He said that Davis’ name was on the Exit Control List (ECL) on the LHC’s orders but even then, he was sent abroad.
He requested the court to summon record of judicial file and police file of the case and fix responsibility on all government functionaries who avoided their responsibilities. He also prayed the court to initiate proceedings to ascertain the responsible who avoided inclusion of Anti Terrorism Act and charges of spying against Davis. On Wednesday, the court dismissed the plea after the petitioner counsel failed to appear in court.
LHC adjourns Hamesh’s bail petition: A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday adjourned until April 20 the hearing of bail petition of Hamesh Khan, former Bank of Punjab president and principal accused in Punjab bank loan scam of Rs 9 billion. Earlier, the counsel for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) submitted NAB’s reply on the petition opposing Hamesh’s bail. The NAB’s counsel said that Hamesh issued loans of billions of rupees on bogus papers so he should not be granted bail.
Barrister Memona submitted power of attorney on behalf of Bank of Punjab for joining the proceedings and sought time to prepare for the case and the court giving her time, adjourned hearing. Hamesh has filed the bail petition second time as earlier his counsel, Mehmood A Sheikh, had withdrawn the petition on the plea that it would be filed later on with some amendments.
