SC orders AG to present Inamur Rahim

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) directed the federal government to present the detained advocate Col (R) Inamur Rahim in court following which Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Masood Khan requested the court to review the order to present Rahim and that the case be heard inside the judges’ chambers.

"We have no objections but show us the matter on the basis of which we should do this. Show us the documents, we will not make them public," said Justice Mushir Alam, adding that they wanted to go through the documents to understand which national security issue this case was related to.

At the outset of Monday’s proceedings, the apex court had rejected the government's request of in-camera proceedings for the case. AG Anwar Masood Khan had argued that the matter in question was related to national security and, therefore, mandated in-camera proceedings.

Resuming proceedings after a break, the apex court directed the federal government to submit a written reply and ordered that the detained lawyer be presented in court by tomorrow.

"We all know what matter of national security it is. Rahim had presented copies of the Army Act in court," alleged Supreme Court Bar Association President Qalbe Hussain while addressing the judges.

Justice Alam said that the LHC had issued a short order and it seemed that a detailed verdict had not yet been issued, adding that the government should wait for the detailed verdict. In response, the attorney general asked for the short order to be suspended while the SC heard this petition, vowing to present the detained lawyer in court. Later, the attorney general presented a report regarding Rahim's arrest in a sealed envelope.

"Whatever is written in this report has been published. Don't dramatise things," responded Justice Alam. The proceedings were adjourned till Tuesday.