September 21, 2006	Thursday	Sha'aban 27, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: The Supreme Court on Wednesday disposed of a complaint when it was informed that a terror suspect in police custody for allegedly supplying ammunition used in an assassination attempt on President Pervez Musharraf’s life had again been detained for 90 days under a federal government order.

On Wednesday, Advocate General Punjab Chaudhry Aftab Iqbal and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Ziaul Hasan submitted a detailed report before the Supreme Court, stating that Nazir Khan, who was under police custody for the last two years without any charge, had been detained for another three months but this time on the orders of the federal government under Section 3 of the Security of Pakistan Act-1952.

“The federal government is satisfied that you (Nazir Khan) have been involved in illegal arms and ammunition running and supplying arms and ammunition to militant elements including Al- Qaeda, thereby acting in a manner prejudicial to the integrity, security and defence of Pakistan.

“Therefore, with a view to prevent you (Nazir Khan) from acting in such a manner, you shall be detained at a suitable place in the discretion of the government for a period of three months with immediate effect,” a September 8, 2006, notification of the federal government said.

Led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, the apex court was hearing a petition regarding abuse of a high court bailiff appointed to recover the detainee (Nazir Khan) from illegal custody of Rawalpindi Civil Lines police.

Despite court orders, the Civil Lines police had refused to release the detainee and manhandled the bailiff.

On the request of Dr Babar Awan advocate, representing Nazir Khan, the Supreme Court allowed a meeting between the accused and his legal counsel and the family members.

Nazir Khan was under police custody for the last two years, and when the court took up the matter, the Westridge police implicated him in a case on charges of possessing 10kg explosives, four hand grenades, a Kalashnikov, four pistols 0.30 bore with live bullets, objectionable literature and maps of sensitive installations in a bid to commit an act of terrorism in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

At the last hearing, the Supreme Court had ordered IGP Punjab to personally probe and report on booking Nazir Khan in a terrorism case instead of producing him before the court.

However, last Tuesday the special judge Anti-Terrorism Court No. 1 Rawalpindi acquitted the accused of all charges on the request of police when it informed the court that the large cache of explosives did not belong to Nazir Khan.