A curious situation arose in Islamabad High Court (IHC) today when Sohail Haider, a 6th grader studying in a government school, filed an application in the court against Secretary, Additional Secretary of President House and others claiming that script of his Quaid-e-Azam Day speech was stolen and given to another student.
Counsel of complainant, Advocate Khawar Ameer Bukhari reasoned before the court that Sohail Haider wrote his speech and sent it for the approval of President House additional secretary and secretary. The script was approved and Sohail delivered the same on full dress rehearsal on December 21. However, when he went to President House again on December 22 for recording, President House Additional Secretary Shaista Sohail told him that another student Arshad Ishtiaq will deliver the speech in his place instead.
The applicant, Sohail Haider, further claims that when he heard his speech, it was a heavily plagiarised version of his own.
Advocate Khawar Ameer Bukhari told the court that his client wrote the script and is his sole property. By giving his script to another person who is protected under the Section 3 of Copyrights Ordinance, they have infringed on his client’s rights. “The giving away of my client’s script to someone else without his consent is utterly unjust and dishonest. I request to take appropriate action, as to halt any illegal and unjust act is the prerogative of the honourable court,” he prayed before the court.
Secretary, additional secretary, director colleges, PTV, and the student Ayesha Ishtiaq are made parties by the complainant.