Justice Khawaja says state is responsible for safeguarding freedom of people
Supreme Court Justice Jawwad S Khawaja on Wednesday said courts would take action would be taken wherever the citizens’ rights are usurped, action will be initiated.
He further said, “Upholding law and constitution and safeguarding the freedom of people is responsibility of the state.”
He observed, “It is not necessary that truth lies in the cases of all missing persons but we want to reach the truth. If any one including Siab is involved in the case of terrorism then proceedings should be initiated as per law and challans should be presented in the courts. Police is independent in its investigation.”
He gave these remarks while presiding over a two-member bench during the hearing of Siab’s missing case.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) law officer, Amna Masood Janjua and police officials appeared in the court.
A report from the Mardan DPO was presented in the court. It was said in the report that three Peshawar newspapers published news on December 3, 2008 wherein it was disclosed that police had arrested three people, including Siab, son of Kamin Khan in a terrorism case. The journalists of these three newspapers were contacted.
The court inquired from Ghulam Nabi, a newspaper’s reporter, about his report. Nabi said that if the news comes from any news agency then its name was mentioned. The credit line of the report showed that it was the report of his newspaper.
The court remarked, “The news has been published in the remaining two newspapers including the daily Mashriq and Aaj. One news paper has published the news under bureau report and the two newspapers have published it under credit line of reporter.”
The court directed the police to contact these two journalists and ascertain the source of their news. If they don’t tell about their sources and talk of keeping the matter secret then court be informed and it will summon these two journalists and ask from them about the source of their news. The court itself will decide about keeping the sources secret.”
The court directed the police to expand the scope of their investigation in Siab missing person case and move forward its investigation on the basis of news published on December 3, 2008 besides presenting the report thereof before it within 10 days. The hearing of the case was adjourned for indefinite period.
The court inquired from Amna Janjua about the case of her husband. She told the court that a case was fixed for hearing in bench No 4, but no headway was being made in this regard.
Justice Jawwad S Khawaja said, “Courts are hearing the cases and their cases are also being fixed in different benches.”
She told the court that on April 28 Islamabad police subjected family members of missing persons, their children and women to torture in D-Chowk and she was also tortured. Police have registered cases against the victims of police violence instead of police personnel.
Justice Khawaja said, “You can resort to the courts as per law against attitude of police. Courts are there in the country. Wherever human rights are encroached upon or violated action will be taken.”
The hearing of the case was adjourned for indefinite period.