‘Secret’ papers presented about Lakhvi during in-camera hearing

Published January 14, 2015
Security personnel escort Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi from a courthouse after a hearing in Islamabad, on January 1, 2015.— AFP/File
Security personnel escort Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi from a courthouse after a hearing in Islamabad, on January 1, 2015.— AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: The federal government submitted on Tuesday some ‘classified documents’ before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) during an in-camera hearing on the petition of the alleged mastermind of Mumbai attacks Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi to defend his detention under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

IHC Justice Noorul Haq N. Qureshi held over two-hour-long in-camera session on the request of Additional Attorney General Afnan Karim Kundi.

Also read: Legal loopholes led to Lakhvi’s bailing out

After showing ‘sensitive documents’ to Justice Qureshi during the hearing, Federal Investigation Agency’s special prosecutor Abuzar Husnain Pirzada left the court, ignoring the journalists who were waiting outside for the outcome of the hearing.

The in-camera hearing continued after the judge had seen the papers presented by Mr Pirzada. Later, Justice Qureshi issued an order which says that owing to lengthy arguments advanced by the parties concerned it had been decided to adjourn the matter till Wednesday (today).

After the conclusion of arguments by Mr Kundi, Advocate General Islamabad Mian Abdul Rauf and Lakhvi’s counsel Raja Rizwan Abbasi, the court would announce the order on the Lakhvi’s detention the same day.

After an anti-terrorism court had granted bail to Lakhvi on Dec 18, the federal government detained him under the MPO.

On Dec 26, the IHC suspended the detention and the federal government challenged the IHC’s order in the Supreme Court. The apex court on Jan 7 restored the detention order and remanded the case back to the IHC with the direction to decide the matter after hearing all the stakeholders.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Opinion

Editorial

Plugging the gap
06 May, 2024

Plugging the gap

IN Pakistan, bias begins at birth for the girl child as discriminatory norms, orthodox attitudes and poverty impede...
Terrains of dread
Updated 06 May, 2024

Terrains of dread

Restored faith in the police is unachievable without political commitment and interprovincial support.
Appointment rules
Updated 06 May, 2024

Appointment rules

If the judiciary had the power to self-regulate, it ought to have exercised it instead of involving the legislature.
Hasty transition
Updated 05 May, 2024

Hasty transition

Ostensibly, the aim is to exert greater control over social media and to gain more power to crack down on activists, dissidents and journalists.
One small step…
05 May, 2024

One small step…

THERE is some good news for the nation from the heavens above. On Friday, Pakistan managed to dispatch a lunar...
Not out of the woods
05 May, 2024

Not out of the woods

PAKISTAN’S economic vitals might be showing some signs of improvement, but the country is not yet out of danger....