March 19, 2006	Sunday	Safar 18, 1427

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LAHORE, March 18: A full bench of the Supreme Court on Saturday allowed the Punjab government to pay compensation and in stead of ‘Diyat’ (blood money) to the people killed by kite twine during the period ban on kite flying was relaxed between Feb 23 and March 15.

Comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Khalilur Rehman Khan Ramday, Justice Faqir Mohammad Khokhar, Justice Fayyaz Ahmad and Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry, the bench allowed a provincial government review petition which said that the law of ‘Diyat’ was not attracted in deaths caused by accidents.

Advocate-General Aftab Iqbal Chaudhry submitted that the government was prepared to pay compensation to all those killed by the twine and the amount would not be less than the ‘Diyat’. However, the compensation could not be paid as ‘Diyat’ which was paid only in murder cases and this blood money was required to be paid by the killer group to the family of the deceased. The payment of blood money, according to the AG, was not attracted in deaths caused by accidents like the slit of throat where the Punjab government was not directly involved.

He requested the apex court to revise its decision because it would tend to change the legal meaning of the enactment on ‘Diyat’ and aggrieved people would start demanding blood money from the government on each and every accidental death.

On a court question, the AG submitted that the government would pay the compensation to the victims’ families within the shortest possible time and the amount would not be less than that calculated in cases of ‘Diyat’.

Adjourned: A special court on Saturday adjourned for April 4 the hearing of Asif Ali Zardari’s application seeking exemption from personal appearance in a drug trafficking case.

His counsel submitted on March 11 a medical certificate issued by a hospital in New York according to which Mr Zardari was suffering from cardiac problem and was unable to travel to Pakistan for about four months.

The adjournment in the case was sought by the prosecution which was supposed to inform the court of the reason for its opposition to the plea for Mr Zardari’s exemption from personal appearance.

Advocate Qasim Javed, who assisted Mr Khosa, said a court in Karachi had allowed Mr Zardari exemption from personal appearance in a case last week. Similarly, another court in Rawalpindi had already issued such an order. Both the courts had declared Mr Zardari a proclaimed offender and had also ordered attachment of his property. Later, the courts had, on petitions against the decisions, recalled their orders in the light of medical certificate.

SAAD RAFIQ: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday extended till April 1 the remand of PML-N MNA Khwaja Saad Rafiq.

Mr Rafiq, who was produced in the court in tight security from the Camp Jail, is facing six criminal cases which charge him with arson and looting and inciting the people to rise against the lawful government.

On an application, the court directed the Punjab government to get the MNA medically examined by a doctor for his back ailment.