The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Establishment Division and Cabinet Division pertaining to current repatriation status of stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh by February 25. Resuming the hearing of identical constitutional petitions filed by the Stranded Pakistanis General Repatriation Committee (SPGRC) under Article 184 of the Constitution, a three-member bench led by Justice Amir Hani Muslim issued directives to the concerned authorities to submit a report pertaining to the matter within a week.
During the course of proceedings, Deputy Attorney General Sohail Mehmood apprised the bench that Federal Interior Ministry has submitted the report requisite whereas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Establishment Division and Cabinet Division failed to observe the court's directives.
Expressing its annoyance, the bench issued directives to the concerned authorities to submit a report in pursuance of court's orders otherwise secretaries of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Establishment Division and Cabinet Division would be summoned to the court.
Appearing on the court notice, Muhammad Aftab Ahmad, a Director of the Cabinet Division, informed the bench that a High Court of Bangladesh had declared the stranded Beharis as citizens of Bangladesh in 2003, saying the same verdict had been upheld by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. To which Justice Amir Hani Muslim observed that the court shall take decision on the matter in hand after receiving the report from the authorities concerned. The hearing of matter was adjourned for an indefinite period.
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