Civilians trial in mily’s courts: PHC orders submission reply

Humayun Khan
PESHAWAR: A divisional bench of Peshawar High Court (PHC) comprising Justice Shahid Khan and Justice Khursheed Iqbal ordered both provincial and federal governments to submit records regarding the trial of civilians in military courts as well as directed Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for submission of record for constitution of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe 9th & 10th May vandalism, on Monday.
The counsel Shah Faisal advocate argued that 33 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf activists were arrested from Mardan on the 9th& 10th of May for vandalism in which seven workers have been transferred to military courts for trial.
Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa argued that identical cases are under proceedings at the Supreme Court of Pakistan and requested for adjournment till the conclusion of the matter at the apex court.
However, the counsel argued that Lahore High Court has granted petitioners whose petitions are under proceedings at SCP in attacking Lahore Corps Commander House while requested for granting relief to the applicants’ alike bail.
The counsel argued for the release of petitioners on bail till the SCP decision and added that it is Public Interest Litigation (PIL) proceedings while assured to appearance before the court to face the trials.
In a writ petition seeking JIT to probe the 9th& 10th May vandalism, PTI’s counsel argued that the party demanded the free and fair investigation of the incidents as well as the identification of culprits involved in the hooliganism and agitating public for attacking public properties.
The counsel further contended that the JIT should be chaired by High Court’s judges to place responsibility on the culprits involved in the vandalism and added that the provincial government didn’t submit reply despite the court’s orders on the previous hearing.
Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amir Javeed objected to the maintainability of the writ, however, Justice Khursheed Iqbal ordered to submit comments as well as incorporate objections on the maintainability of the plea.
Court grants BBA to 17 PTI’s workers: Additional District and Session Judge (AD&SJ) Buner granted Bail before Arrest (BBA) to 17 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers including district president Kamran Khan while one activist Shahid Khan arrested from Totalai village and sent to judicial, on Monday.
PTI’s workers reached court for BBA named Kamran Khan, Afsar Khan, Kabeer Khan, Syed Zeb, Irshad Alam, Balhrad Khan, Tor Nana, Muhammad Ali, Sajad Khan, Mian Moen, Qaisar Khan, Hashtamand, Hashim and others. The PTI sole leader from Totali Shahid Khan surrendered before police and sent to judicial lock up. It’s pertinent to mention here all of them were charged under section 188 PPC for violation the section 144 CrPC was imposed by deputy commissioner Arshad Qayum Barki on the day when PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested.
Talking to media personnel Kamran Khan and Afsar Khan flanked by all on bail leaders claimed they were peaceful even though traffic flow was smooth while the same day and time the PPPP provincial president and federal minister Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha was warmly welcomed at Ambela check point and in a motorcade rally taken to Chaghorzai where he addressed sizeable gathering but none of them was charge under section 188 PPC.
They were harsh over the administration and police for charging them under section 188 PPC and termed it a discriminatory act and mala-fide intention besides state-sponsored political victimization of the political opponents which would not be tolerated. They warned the district administration and the police not to play at the hands of PDM but rather should perform state duty honestly and sincerely otherwise the PTI crowd would come to resist and the responsibility for consequences would rest upon them.