ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday dismissed a petition filed against the expulsion of three Filipino missionary workers, including two principals of Islamabad convent schools.

The court also dismissed another petition against the federal government’s decision to allow Save the Children to continue operations in Pakistan.

The court had reserved its orders on these petitions after preliminary hearings last week.

Justice Aamir Farooq observed that the petitioners were not aggrieved parties and had no ‘locus standi’ (legal standing or right to address the court) to plead the case.

As such, his order added, both the petitions were not maintainable. The government was competent to pass such directions, it said.

IHC also rejects petition against govt decision to allow INGO to continue operations

Regarding the expulsion of the missionary workers and the cancellation of their visas, the court observed that the missionary workers were aggrieved but the petition was filed by a bishop.

Bishop Roman Catholic Diocese through advocate Rana Abid Nazir Khan had challenged the interior ministry’s order to expel the missionary workers.

The ministry on June 16 ordered the missionary workers - Miraflor Aclan Bahan, the principal of Islamabad Convent School, Sector F-8; Delia Coyoca Rubio, the principal Islamabad Convent H-8, and Elizabeth Umail Siguenza, the finance officer of the H-8 Convent School, to leave the country within 15 days.

A letter issued by the ministry stated that since they were issued visas for missionary work, they could not be employed anywhere. The petitioner, however, claimed that the interior minister had cancelled the visas due to a personal grudge.

The petition said 42 schools in Pakistan were being run by local and foreign missionary workers and in both of the convent schools, 4,000 students were studying.

It said that in May this year the directorate general of immigration and passport had extended the visas of the three missionary workers for two years.

It may be mentioned that the Islamabad Convent School, Sector F-8, was highlighted in the media after an FIR was lodged against one of its peons for allegedly attempting to assault a six-year-old student.

However, the school administration after an internal inquiry cleared the accused.

Talking to Dawn, the counsel for the convent schools, Rana Abid, said he had applied for a copy of the court order. “We will decide about filing of an intra-court appeal (ICA) after examining the order,” he said.

The second petition against Save the Children was filed by Lal Masjid Shuhda Foundation Trust.

Tariq Asad, the counsel for the foundation, alleged that Save the Children was involved in working against the interests of Pakistan and the government had put national integrity at stake by allowing it to continue its operations. He requested the court to pass an order to halt the operations of the INGO in the country.

The government on June 11 ordered the closure of the INGO and directed its foreigner staff to leave the country in 15 days. However, the order was suspended the following day.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2015

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