LAHORE, April 18: The Lahore High Court chief justice on Wednesday issued notices to federal and Punjab governments on a writ petition of Jamatud Dawa chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and his deputy Hafiz Abdur Rehman Makki seeking government’s protection against United States’ act of announcing bounty on their (petitioners) heads.

Chief Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed asked a deputy attorney general and the Punjab advocate general to assist the court on a point whether a country had the power to announce bounty on the heads of citizens of any other sovereign country.

At the start of the hearing, Advocate A.K Dogar advanced his arguments on behalf of the petitioners and said Hafiz Saeed was JuD chief, which was a charitable organisation and had no nexus with Lashkar-i-Taiba. He said previously the petitioner was wrongfully detained by the government in 2009 on charges of having links with Al-Qaeda but a LHC full bench had set aside the detention after the government failed to bring any evidence against the petitioner. Mr Dogar pointed out that national and international media on April 3 highlighted a news that US Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman stated in New Delhi that head-money of $10 million and $3million had been announced on Hafiz Saeed and Hafiz Makki, respectively.

The counsel argued the US was acting on the instigation of India and the act of announcing head money while visiting India spoke for itself. He mentioned that Pakistani courts, including SC and LHC, had already exonerated Saeed from all charges levelled against him by India and the US.

He argued the head money was always announced for those who were hiding in mountains and caves and were not traceable, but the petitioners were available and were ready to face any investigation.

He said the Foreign Office made it clear to the US that concrete evidence be provided against the petitioners and even Interior Minister Rehman Malik said there was no evidence against the petitioners.

The counsel said the minister also stated the US violated international laws by attacking Pakistan’s sovereignty.

He said the prime minister, addressing a joint sitting of parliament, had also said the Saeed issue was an internal one and it concerned Pakistan only.

Therefore, the announcement of bounty was liable to be withdrawn and the petitioners needed to be protected being citizens of Pakistan, said Advocate Dogar.

He prayed to the court to direct the government to protect the petitioners and make arrangements for their security under Article 9 of the Constitution.

He prayed that the government be directed to seek withdrawal of the bounty announcement by the US. The counsel also sought an order against any possible adverse action against the petitioners or their families on the part of the Pakistan government or any agency without taking prior permission from the high court.

After hearing the arguments, the chief justice sought replies from both federal and provincial governments through their law officers and adjourned hearing till April 25.