Pak missing prisoners' counsel files contempt of court petition against ISPR chief

Islamabad, Feb 22 (ANI): A counsel representing eleven Pakistan missing persons has asked Pakistan Supreme Court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Athar Abbas for interfering in a sub judice matter.

Tariq Asad, counsel for missing prisoners, filed the petition under Article 204 of the Constitution under Sections 3 and 4 of Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003, making the ISPR chief a respondent, the Daily Times reports.

Asad asked the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondent for his interference in the process of law in missing prisoners' case, adding that four missing prisoners had died under mysterious circumstances during their illegal confinement by spy agencies.

However, he said after repeated orders of the court, when the remaining seven missing prisoners were produced before the court on February 13, the court had directed Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq and Raja Muhammad Irshad, counsel for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence to satisfy the court about their detention and whether they were proceeded against under any provision of law, and if so, what was the result.

He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary was also directed to collect the relevant record to satisfy the court as to under what circumstances the prisoners were allowed to be admitted in Internment Centre of Parachinar by the internment authority, the KP Governor, because such an action could only be taken through an order passed by applying judicial mind, as mentioned in the regulations. (ANI)