IHC adjourns Faizabad dharna report case

SLAMABAD: Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) here on Wednesday adjourned hearing of a petition seeking making public the inquiry report of Faizabad dharna case as a deputy attorney general (DAG) sought time to submit reply.

The IHC bench was hearing of the writ petition of Inamul Rahiem, advocate, who has been seeking making the inquiry report of the Faizabad dharna public. The petitioner contended in the petition that under oath officers of the Pakistan Army cannot take part in politics. Under Article 245 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the Army has only two roles to perform, one to defend the motherland in case of foreign aggression and second to act in aid of civil power when called out to do so.

Inquiry report of Faizabad dharna is necessary to make public to fix the responsibility, advocate Inam also adopted in the petition. After DAG sought time, the IHC bench adjourned this matter till May 21. Separately, in another matter an IHC division reserved judgement in a matter where former Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) federal minister Arbab Alamgir and his wife Asma Arbab has filed a petition to remove their names from the Exit Control List (ECL).

An inquiry has been initiated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against both--husband and wife--for assets beyond means. Legal counsel for the petitioners, Barrister Masroor Shah, argued before the court that inquiry is yet to start; therefore, names of his clients could not be placed on ECL. Nawaz Sharif is facing trial and even then his name is not put on the ECL. Following arguments the division bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani reserved judgement in this matter.