November 08, 2006	Wednesday	Shawwal 15, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, Nov 7: The Supreme Court Tuesday expressed its displeasure at the transfer of a police officer while probing into the murder of a woman, who had accused ex-naib nazim of Okara, Abbas Raza Rizvi, of making it with her sister on the promise of marriage.

A three-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi and Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad, sought the summary under which District Police Officer (DPO), Okara, Dr Usman Anwar was transferred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) only to hinder the probe into the case.

“We will study the circumstances under which the police officer was transferred and, if need be, proceed against the officer responsible for transferring him,” the chief justice observed, adding, “No officer would appear before us if we failed to protect him.”

“We will even call secretary establishment if he was involved in transferring the police officer,” the chief justice observed recalling that even the former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had been summoned by the Supreme Court in a contempt case.

The court even deferred proceedings to allow Attorney General Makhdoom Ali Khan to inquire as to who was responsible for the transfer of the officer.

The attorney general told the court that secretary establishment was out of station and he could not find anyone to get the required information.

At the last hearing, Dr Usman Anwar had told the court that the main plotter in the murder of Shahnaz was Abbas Raza Rizvi.

On Tuesday, Dr Usman told the court that he had made arrangements to conduct a DNA test of Mehnaz Fatima, her daughter Ariba and Abbas Rizvi to settle the paternity claim, but Mr Rizvi refused to undergo the test.

Dr Usman told the court that he was transferred from Okara and asked to report to the Ministry of Interior for his posting to the FIA under a notification issued by the federal government on October 12, 2006.

However, Advocate General Punjab Ch Aftab Iqbal told the court that the Punjab government had not moved any summary for his transfer. He further told the court that when it came to the notice of the provincial high-ups that Dr Usman had relinquished his post, he was directed to continue investigations.

The bench directed Dr Usman to provide protection to Mehnaz Fatima and requested Hafiz Pirzada Advocate to assist the court as amicus curiae (friend of the court) in view of the importance of the case and adjourned the case for November 13.