Saad told to approach Pindi bench: Scientists' issue
By Our Correspondent
LAHORE, Jan 26: The Lahore High Court office returned on Monday a petition filed by the Punjab PML-N secretary-general, seeking production of the nuclear scientists in the court.
Khwaja Saad Rafiq had submitted that Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and other nuclear scientists were undergoing debriefing sessions and were being intimidated. He requested the court to order their production with an assurance that they would not be subjected to harassment.
Objecting, the office said the PML-N leader neither had a locus standi nor he had stated in what way he was related to any of the scientists. Another objection raised by the LHC office was that a similar petition was pending with the Rawalpindi bench and rules did not permit entertaining the same issue at its principal seat in Lahore.
The petition was returned to Khwaja Saad Rafiq with the remarks that he was supposed to submit such a plea with the Rawalpindi bench. The LHC office also returned a writ petition raising objection to the plea that Justice Dr Naseem Hasan Shah (retired) should be booked for the murder of the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Petitioner-lawyer Mian Muhammad Hanif submitted that the former chief justice of Pakistan, Dr Naseem Hasan Shah, had said in a recent interview that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was executed wrongfully and that he did not deserve death penalty.
According to Mr Hanif, Dr Shah was on the Supreme Court bench which upheld the death sentence of Mr Bhutto as passed by the Lahore High Court. Dr Shah's 'confession' had proved that the former prime minister was murdered and that he was responsible for his execution. The LHC office said the execution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was ordered by the Supreme Court and hence it could not be agitated at the high court level.
