ISLAMABAD: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench on Friday issued a notice to a senior officer of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in a petition challenging the denial access to thedefence counsel to an under trial suspect being tried by the military court.

LHC Justice Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar issued the order on the petition of Rubina Kausar, mother of the suspect.

As per the court record, her son Waqas Haider, a civilian working with the Military Engineering Services, was taken into custody in May this year.

Kausar contended in the petition that she last met Haider in July, since then she was not allowed to visit the incarcerated son.

She contended that being a civilian, her son cannot be tried by the military court.

The court after an initial hearing on Dec 12 issued notices to the PAF authorities.

The counsel for Kausar, advocate Rana Abdul Qayyum, when approached the relevant base commander at Chakwal, he was denied access to the detained suspect.

The counsel then filed a miscellaneous application seeking contempt of court proceeding against the officer. Justice Dogar issued notice to the base commander and sought his reply.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2024