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Faizabad dharna: Inquiry commission summons Shehbaz Sharif on Jan 3

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5 months ago

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  • Probe panel was constituted on Supreme Court’s order. 
  • Inquiry commission required to submit report to SC on Jan 22.
  • Ex-DG ISI Faiz Hamid has skipped summons twice.

ISLAMABAD: An inquiry commission formed to probe the 2017 Faizabad sit-in has summoned Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif on January 3 (Wednesday), sources told Geo News on Monday.

They said Shehbaz has been summoned as former Punjab chief minister to record his statement in connection with an inquiry into the sit-in staged by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in the federal capital against the then PML-N-led government in November 2017.

In November last year, the caretaker federal government constituted the inquiry commission for the implementation of the top court’s 2019 Faizabad verdict.

The probe panel was constituted on the order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan under the chair of retired IGP Akhtar Ali Shah after the apex court rejected the fact-finding committee report constituted by the government.

On November 15, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa had remarked that the commission would be empowered to summon anyone, including former army chiefs, prime ministers and chief justices.

The inquiry commission is required to submit its report to the top court on January 22.

Earlier, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, then-secretary to PM Fawad Hasan Fawad and other senior officials serving in Islamabad and Punjab who were involved in the episode had appeared before the probe panel.

However, former director general (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt General (retd) Faiz Hamid yet again skipped the hearing of the Faizabad Dharna Inquiry Commission (FDIC) last month, The News had reported.

This was the second time that the former ISI chief remained absent from the hearing being conducted by the inquiry commission, which earlier summoned him in the second week of December last year and then on December 29, sources added.

Faizabad verdict

In November 2017, the top court had taken suo motu notice of the three-week-long sit-in, which was held against a change in the finality-of-Prophethood oath, termed by the government as a clerical error, when the government passed the Elections Act 2017.

The sit-in was called off after the protesters reached an agreement with the government.

On February 6, 2019, a two-member bench of the apex court comprising the now-CJP Isa and Justice Mushir Alam recommended that persons, issuing an edict or fatwa to harm another person or put another person in the harm’s way must be dealt with iron hand and prosecuted under relevant laws.

It also ruled that the intelligence agencies must not exceed their respective mandates. Later, the bench disposed of a suo moto case regarding the 2017 Faizabad sit-in staged by the TLP.

The 43-page verdict issued by the two-judge bench and published on the apex court’s website read: “Every citizen and political party has the right to assemble and protest provided such assembly and protest is peaceful and complies with the law imposing reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order.

“The right to assemble and protest is circumscribed only to the extent that it infringes on the fundamental rights of others, including their right to free movement and to hold and enjoy property.”

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The bail petition of Parvez Elahi in the Jinnah House attack case has been rejected by the ATC.

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14 hours ago

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A bail application filed by Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, a leader of the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) party, in the Jinnah House attack case has been rejected by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on the grounds of prematurity.

ATC Judge Arshad Javed announced the decision during today’s hearing.

The counsel representing Parvez Elahi contended that there was a significant likelihood of his client being arrested in relation to the Jinnah House attack case. It was stated that the ex-Chief Minister had previously been held in custody on judicial remand in other cases.

The petitioner requested the court to authorise the release of Parvez Elahi on bail in the Jinnah House attack case.

Nevertheless, the prosecution argued that the bail petition did not meet the necessary legal criteria, emphasising that Parvez Elahi had not been apprehended in connection with the case.

Considering these considerations, the court rejected Parvez Elahi’s request for release, stating that it was premature since he had not been arrested in the Jinnah House attack case.

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Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, the former Prime Minister of AJK, has been apprehended by authorities.

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15 hours ago

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Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, the ex-prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has been apprehended by the Margalla Police in Islamabad.

Ilyas was apprehended by the authorities following the registration of a case against him at the Margalla Police Station, as stated by the police spokeswoman.

The police officials have accused Ilyas of committing six grave offences, which include assaulting the premises of a private enterprise.

The spokeswoman verified the arrest, stating that Ilyas was apprehended following a comprehensive investigation and subsequent legal actions.

This event follows the filing of a case against Ilyas, accusing him of being involved in the assault on a private company’s office.

The individual has been apprehended by law enforcement and will be subjected to investigation and subsequent legal procedures.

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Abbasi says that Pakistan’s functioning will not be efficient without implementing improvements in the system.

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15 hours ago

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Speaking to the media outside the accountability court in Karachi, he asserted that the country cannot function effectively without implementing significant reforms in the system.

He advocated for transferring authority to competent individuals to address the country’s issues.

He stated that no measures were implemented to address the violation of the constitution. If we want to recall the past, we must return to the year 1947.

“The government lacks a public mandate, and this arrangement has been established using the same method previously employed by the founder of the PTI to establish his government,” stated Shahid Khaqan.

According to him, political parties would traditionally establish themselves prior to elections with the aim of accomplishing specified objectives. “We discuss individuals’ issues, political parties have embraced this approach to secure power,” he stated.

“The court inquired about the offence.” The NAB has also stated that no pecuniary benefit was obtained in the case,” he remarked during the case hearing.

After several years of visiting courts, the NAB has been unable to provide any evidence. The previous Prime Minister said that they even neglect to specify which powers were improperly utilised. The former chairman of the NAB is obligated to provide a response for it.

According to him, the NAB has caused significant damage to the national economy.

Regarding his political party, he stated that the party will be established within the upcoming month and individuals from all regions of Pakistan will unite with it.

In an earlier hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cleared Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former finance minister Miftah Ismail, Chairman Engro Hussain Dawood, Board member Abdul Samad Dawood, and others of any wrongdoing in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) issue.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) retracted the corruption accusation against the ex-prime minister, who has persistently advocated for the elimination of the anti-corruption agency due to allegations of political persecution.

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