IHC dismisses petition against PM as withdrawn

A single-member bench of the Islamabad High Court comprising of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui Friday dismissed a petition as withdrawn, requesting the court to direct Yusuf Raza Gilani to stop functioning as prime minister after his conviction.
The petition was filed by GM Chaudhary advocate with the high court under Article 199 of the Constitution against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani seeking the court’s direction to evict him from office after his conviction by the Supreme Court in contempt of court case. Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui observed that the Supreme Court did not disqualify him (Prime Minister) in its detailed judgment. The judge also remarked that according to the latest amendment in the constitution, it was authority of the Speaker to decide disqualification and send a reference to the Chief Election Commissioner. During the hearing of the case, Justice Shaukat directed the petitioner to present his arguments only according to the provisions of the Constitution instead on traditional, political, democratic and moral grounds, stating, “I as judge have to decide petitions purely on merit and according to the Constitution and law and not on the basis of other things.”
“More care is required in this case because the Chief Executive of the country is respondent in this petition “, the judge hearing the petition remarked.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddqui asked the petitioner to apprise the court about the grounds under which prime minister can be disqualified.
Police arrest religious scholar’s killers: The Islamabad Police have arrested two seminary students for their alleged involvement in killing the renowned religious scholar Dr Hafiz Abdul Rasheed in his house at sector I-10/1 and then fleeing away with jewellery and other valuables.
Addressing a press conference along with Ameer Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith Professor Sajid Mir, SP (Industrial Area Zone) Ishaq Warraich on Friday said that Dr. Hafiz Abdul Rasheed was found dead in house no.1323, Street No.90, sector I-10/1 on March 17.
He said his son Hafiz Saad Azhar lodged the report with Sabzi Mandi police station that he was at university when two persons came to meet his father. On return from university, he asked his mother about father who told him that he served food to the guests and had been along with them in guest room for a long time. Hafiz Saad said that their vehicle (ICT-SA-178, Vitz) was also not at home and he doubted on all this situation. Along with mother, he peeped into guest room and saw the black belt in his father’s neck while hands as well as feet also tied. The jewellery, cash, ATM card, mobile phones and other documents were also found missing in the room adjacent to guest room.
The SP said that IGP Islamabad Bani Amin Khan and SSP Islamabad Muhammad Yousuf Malik directed him to trace the perpetrators of this heinous crime. A police team under supervision of DSP (Industrial Area) Ashraf Shah including Inspector Raja Rahat Javed and SHO Sabzi Mandi Asjad Mehmood worked hard to arrest killers and also maintained close coordination with the officer bearers of Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith.
Police team managed to trace two seminary students from mobile record of deceased who were identified as Azhar Azkaar s/o Muhammad Azkaar and Ghayas Uddin s/o Muhammad Anwar. The SP Ishaq Warraich said that investigation from them revealed that they killed Dr. Hafiz Abudl Rasheed for dacoity purpose in his house and also took away car, cash, gold ornaments, ATM cards and other valuables from his house. They abandoned car near Bahra Kau due to strict checking at pickets.
On the occasion, Ameer Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith Sajid Mir thanked SSP Islamabad Muhammad Yousuf Malik for taking special interest in resolving this case and tracing the killers.
He said that performance of special team of Sabzi Mandi police especially Inspector Rahat Javed and SHO Asjad Mehmood was laudable who remained in touch with the office bearers and kept informing about the advancement into investigation. He ruled out the possibility of any sectarian factor behind this killing and said that Islamabad police had worked well on all aspects including investigation and it should be appreciated. The family members of deceased Dr. Hafiz Abdul Rasheed were also present on the occasion who also appreciated the performance of Islamabad police. Ameer Jamiat Ahel Hadith (Islamabad) Abdul Aziz Hanif and other office bearers were also present on the occasion.