Court recommends action against cops over custodial death

The judge of the District and Sessions Court (East) on Tuesday recommended due legal action against police and jail officials over the recent custodial death of a prisoner, Mohammad Nadeem.

As per details, the judge expressed serious reservations over Nadeem’s death in jail and passed orders against the superintendent of the Central Prison and the station house officer (SHO) of the Alfalah police. 

The court noted that the under-trial prisoner, Nadeem, was seriously ill and was denied medical treatment by the officers. In its order, the court observed that the prisoner was being kept under judicial remand and it was the responsibility of the jail superintendent and the SHO to make arrangements for his medical treatment. 

The judge observed that the authorities concerned should have admitted the ailing prisoner to a government hospital for medical treatment. Their failure to do so, the court noted, warranted due legal action against the jail superintendent and the station house officer.

Dr Asim’s absence

The judge of an accountability court hearing a Rs462 billion corruption reference against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Dr Asim Hussain and others expressed serious reservations over the absence of the former petroleum minister who went abroad on Sunday. 

The court rejected the request presented on Dr Asim’s behalf by his attorneys seeking exemption from court appearances. 

The judge of the accountability court raised questions over who had allowed Dr Asim Hussain to travel abroad without seeking the court’s permission.

He further observed that Dr Asim was not justified in travelling abroad without an NOC. 

The court rejected the plea of the attorneys for adjournment of the hearing and fixed September 18 as the next date. The court ordered to send a reference to the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Sindh High Court as well to inform the two courts about the Dr Asim’s absence and his decision to travel abroad.