Suspended jail officials seek quashment of FIR registered by CTD

The Sindh High Court on Thursday issued notices to the provincial advocate general, prosecutor general, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and others on a petition filed by suspended prison officials seeking quashment of an FIR registered against them by the CTD with charges of abetment, disappearance of evidence and harbouring criminals.

The petitioners, Abdul Rehman Sheikh and Ghulam Murtaza Sheikh, assistant superintendent prison and senior superintendent prison who were booked in the case regarding a jailbreak by two Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militants, submitted that the CTD had falsely implicated them in a fresh FIR pertaining to disappearance of evidence and harbouring criminals in prison.

Their counsel, Aamir Mansoob Qureshi, questioned the CTD’s authority to register a case against the petitioners, submitting that articles recovered during the search operation by the Sindh Rangers in prison were mentioned in the ‘mashirnama’ prepared by the Rangers and the same were auctioned as per prison rules.

He submitted that the petitioners had nothing to do with the offence as they were in judicial custody and could not be tried for the offence. He requested the court to quash the FIR against the petitioners and restrain the CTD from carrying out investigation till disposal of the petition. The SHC division bench headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto issued notices to the provincial advocate general, prosecutor general and others to submit comments on October 12.  

Plea against election law

A Sindh High Court judge recused himself from hearing the lawsuit against the the amended Election Bill 2017 introduced by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) and directed the court office to select as per the roster another bench to hear the case.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, Syed Ali Haider Zaidi and others had submitted that after the disqualification of former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case, the lawmakers of PML-N had introduced the bill with the sole intent of clearing obstacles in Sharif’s path to becoming head of the party again.

They submitted that any attempt to appoint the disqualified premier as PML-N’s head would be against Articles 62, 63 and 189 of the Constitution. The court was requested to declare the move illegal and was also requested to declare the controversial sections, No. 203 and 232, of the bill ultra vires to the Constitution and to restrain the PML-N from electing Sharif as party head.