2014 Karachi Dockyard attack: Naval authorities refuse to provide full inquiry report to five officers convicted by military court

ISLAMABAD: Navy authorities have refused to provide the full inquiry report to navy officers who were sentenced to death by a military court for the 2014 Karachi Dockyard attack, declaring it a matter of national security.

The additional attorney general suggested that the records are available at the Naval Office, and the petitioners’ lawyers should visit the office and see the records.The Islamabad High Court has issued orders to authorities to provide access to the convicts’ lawyers to peruse records related to the petitioners only.

Justice Babar Sattar of the Islamabad High Court heard the application of five convicted navy personnel, who were sentenced to death by a military court, with regard to access to military trial documents.

Navy officials told the court that they had provided relevant documents during the trial; however, the full Board of Inquiry report is related to national security and cannot be provided.

The additional attorney general said that the record is available at the Naval Headquarters, and the counsel for the applicants can be given access to the relevant part of the record and they can take notes from it.

The court directed the law officer to ensure that the lawyers to be given access to the documents and adequate time should also be given to them to take notes.The court observed that naval authorities must have conducted an inquiry and made recommendations based on it. It asked the law officer that recommendations of actions mentioned in the inquiry may not be provided to them. The five navy personnel were sentenced to death by the military court; however, the high court has stayed the military court orders.