Missing people’s relatives criticise action against CJ
By Our Reporter
ISLAMABAD, March 11: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry is the latest victim of `forced disappearance’ and is being punished for his proactive role in the case pertaining to missing people.
This was observed by family members of the missing persons while speaking at a press conference here on Sunday.
Ms Masood Janjua, women wing’s in-charge of the Defence of Human Rights, and mother, spouse and daughter of Khalid Khawaja strongly condemned the suspension of the chief justice and described the move as the worst form of injustice ever unleashed against the judiciary in Pakistan.
They said one of the reasons for the action was his interest in upholding the rule of law and summoning intelligence agencies to inquire about the whereabouts of missing people. “His commitment to provide justice to the missing people has perhaps upset the government," they noted.
Ms Janjua said the suo motu notice of missing persons had given hope and sense of security to family members about the victims, adding that it was an open secret that Justice Chaudhry had been pressured to show leniency in certain cases, including that of missing persons.
“This also confirms that our dear ones are in the illegal custody of army."
She said as many as 23 victims of forced disappearance had been released, while 60 more cases were filed during the last four months, with only 13 left out, according to the previous list provided to the apex court.
She said that recently a fresh writ had been filed and a new list of around 200 missing persons, prepared by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the Defence of Human Rights, was submitted to the Supreme Court. March 26 was the next date of hearing, she said, adding that it was a big international issue now and there was no option for the judiciary but to decide the case on the basis of merit.
She stressed that if there were any charges against the abducted people, they should be brought before the court of law and the accused be provided an opportunity of fair trial. "Their continued detention at undisclosed locations was a clear violation of the law," she remarked.
Ms Khalid Khawaja said her husband was a human rights activist and had been victimised for raising voice in favour of the missing persons.
She said that her husband was picked up after Fajr prayers on January 26 and a false case of distributing sectarian materials outside a mosque after Friday prayers had been made against him. "It is a matter of record that he was under the custody of the intelligence agencies at the time he was accused of distributing pamphlets," she pointed out.
She said he was granted a bail by the session court on February 21, but even then he was not released and was shifted to Faisalabad from Adiala jail.
Rabia Khalid, daughter of Khalid Khawaja, said her father was a diabetic and cardiac patient. She expressed her concern over the health condition of his father and demanded his immediate release.
