The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday summoned Islamabad Police IG Tahir Alam because of the failure of the authorities to register a murder case against CIA chief and legal counsel under the court’s orders with respect to two people that were killed in drone attacks in Mir Ali in South Waziristan in 2010.
“Thousands of Pakistani children are being martyred and no one sheds a tear. Are they insects that no one is there to raise voice in their support?” Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui said.
“If the murder case of two persons killed in drone strike is not registered under court orders then contempt of court proceedings will be initiated against the IG Police Islamabad. The court’s job is to protect the life and property of citizens,” he added.
The Mir Ali drone attack case came up for hearing in the IHC on Tuesday. Advocate Mirza Shahzad Akbar and Zahoor Elahi appeared in court on behalf of the petitioner.
Standing Counsel Hussain Ibrahim Kazmi, Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Chaudhry Haseeb, DSP Azhar Hussain Shah and Nawaz Bhatti, SHO secretariat police station also appeared in court.
DAG Chaudhry Haseeb told the court that legal complications have come up in terms of the registration of the murder case with respect to the two persons killed in drone attacks. The case could affect international relations. The court was requested to allow the Islamabad IG to appear in court and furnish some secret documents.
“Whatever the relations are with other countries, does Pakistan enjoy no respect that the complaint isn’t even being registered. Protecting the life and property of citizens is the obligation of the state,” Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui remarked.
“If there are any such documents then the Islamabad IG and Advocate General Islamabad can present them in open court,” the court responded.
“The court had earlier ordered that the murder case of the two persons be registered against the CIA chief and legal counsel, but the court’s order has not been implemented so far. The Islamabad IG is presenting a stance against the court’s order rather than implementing it. If IG Islamabad does not comply with the court’s order then a contempt of court notice can be issued against him,” Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui remarked.
The court remarked, “You please register the FIR of the two persons killed in drone strike. FIR can be dismissed if no evidence is available.”
The counsel for the federation told the court that, “Advocate General Islamabad Mian Abdul Rauf is engaged in a case in the Supreme Court, and he wants to appear in the court to present federation stance.”
The counsel for the petitioner told the court that despite the court having ordered the registration of the murder case of two persons in June 2013, the federation is still using dilatory tactics and the murder case is not being registered.
The court while issuing orders for the appearance of the Islamabad IG adjourned the hearing of the case.
