Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has remarked that no innocent person could be kept under detention for even a second.
He expressed these remarks while presiding over a three-member SC bench during the course of hearing of Adiala missing inmates case on Wednesday.
The CJP said, “No one will be allowed to gag the freedom of anyone. No innocent person can be kept under detention for even a single second. This practice should come to end now. Law and constitution are in place in the country which will have to be adhered to.”
Tariq Asad, counsel for the missing inmates of Adiala jail told the court that the missing persons had been convicted during the hearing of the case by the court, but no trial was conducted.
“Providing opportunity of defence to the accused persons meets the ends of justice. Record be sought in this respect,” he prayed.
The court issued notices to Attorney General (AG) Irfan Qadir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advocate general and Raja Muhammad Irshad, counsel for intelligence agencies, besides seeking all record from them pertaining to the trial of seven missing prisoners.
The hearing of the case was adjourned until May 10.