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Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar on Sunday reprimanded Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar and summoned his own son-in-law to provide an explanation regarding the DIG's attempt to seek undue influence in a child custody case against his ex-wife.
Canadian-national Mirjam Aberras Lahdeaho had contracted marriage with DIG Dogar on March 6, 1997, in Lahore and stayed in Pakistan for over 12 years along with their three children, including a daughter, before they moved to Canada as permanent residents in 2009.
The DIG used to visit his family in Canada frequently instead of opting for a permanent stay due to his job in Pakistan.
Finnish-origin Lahdeaho said in 2016 that Dogar made their two minor sons visit Pakistan from Canada on a short tour but never allowed them to go back on one pretext or the other.
She said her husband also obtained an ex parte order from a court regarding guardianship of the minors and that she had been fraudulently deprived of lawful custody of her children.
In February, a guardian court ordered the DIG to produce his two sons so that their interim custody could be given to their mother in the light of a Supreme Court order.
Lahdeaho had appealed to the apex court against the placement of her name and the names of her children on the Exit Control List (ECL), but the DIG allegedly wanted his former spouse and sons' names to remain on the no-fly list.
The CJP, while hearing the case at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry today, took strong exception to the DIG's attempt at gaining undue favour by appealing to his son-in-law Khalid Rehman, and summoned Rehman to court immediately to record his statement.
"How dare you seek to approach me for favour through my son-in-law?" the chief justice lashed out at the DIG. "Tell me, who advised you to seek undue advantage in the case through my family members?" he asked.
DIG Dogar gave the CJP an unconditional apology, but Justice Nisar told him the court was not interested in his apology, and insisted on being told the name of the person who had advised the police official to seek intercession in the case by approaching the CJP's family members.
"What made you think that anyone could gain undue favour with the CJP?" he asked. "I am doing a jihad and you are attempting to seek favours," he said.
Son-in-law appears before CJP
Rehman, the CJP's son-in-law appeared before the court in response to Justice Nisar's summons.
"You are my son at my home but right now you are standing before the chief justice of Pakistan. Tell the court who asked you for the intercession," the chief justice questioned his son-in-law.
Rehman submitted an unconditional apology to the court and told the CJP that DIG Dogar had approached him for a favour.
He alleged that the DIG had said his former wife and sons' names should stay on the ECL.
The chief justice then ordered the hearing of the case be continued in his chamber.
