LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday ordered the Ministry of Interior to arrange a psychological evaluation of a detainee repatriated from Bagram jail and presently detained at the Central Jail, Sahiwal.

Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan passed this order hearing a petition against alleged illegal detention of Pakistanis by the US in Bagram.

A state counsel on behalf of the ministry sought more time to complete the investigation process of Pakistani citizens released from Bagram last month.

Barrister Sarah Belal, counsel for the Justice Project Pakistan, told the court one of the released detainees Iftikhar Ahmad suffered from severe mental illness. She said the needlessly prolonged investigation process was affecting his condition.

She said Ahmad’s mental state had been unstable even prior to his captivity by US forces in 2010, and his current detention in Sahiwal jail worsened his health.

The counsel expressed concern at Ahmad’s deteriorating mental state and stressed the need for his immediate treatment.

Justice Khan adjourned further hearing till June 27 and directed the ministry to ensure medical examination and treatment of the detainee.

Reply sought: A sessions court on Wednesday sought comments from the Old Anarkali station house officer on a petition seeking registration of a case against PTI chief Imran Khan and its central leader, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, under terrorism charges.

Advocate Kashif Sulemani filed the petition and contended that Khan and Qureshi were spreading chaos in the country through their provoking speeches.

He said both leaders also criticised a judicial tribunal formed to probe the Model Town incident and termed it baseless.

The petitioner-lawyer asked the court to order the police to register a case against the respondents on charges of spreading terrorism.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Ghaffar Mehtab issued a notice to the Old Anarkali SHO and directed him to submit his reply by Thursday (today).

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2014