Petition against operation in tribal areas: IHC reissues notices to respondents

Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday reissued notices to respondents in a petition seeking immediate halt to ongoing military operations in Swat, Bajaur and Waziristan Agencies. A single-member bench of Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Aslam reissued the notices with a direction to re-list the case.
Raja Liaquat Ali, a resident of Mingora, filed the petition making the federation, Speaker National Assembly, Chairman Senate and Chairman National Security Council as respondents in the case. Syed Zahoor Ahmad Bukhari, counsel for the petitioner argued that countless innocent people were being killed in the military operation in Bajaur, Waziristan and Swat. He said that life of people in these areas has been shattered, as there is an acute scarcity of food besides lack of proper medical facilities. These circumstances have forced people to migrate, he added.
He urged the Federation to take notice of calamities being faced by the people of Fata and Swat. The petitioner also urged National Assembly Speaker and Senate Chairman to initiate a debate in the parliament to address the problems of the people of Fata and Swat.
Meanwhile, a petition challenging the recent increase in the power tariff and unscheduled load shedding was submitted again in the IHC. Pakistan Peoples' Movement (PPM) Chairman Muhammad Ishfaq Chaudhry submitted the petition after removing the objections raised by the court. Muhammad Ishfaq Chaudhry has made the federation and Nepra as respondents in the case. The petitioner prayed the court to issue a stay order against increase in power tariff similar to the one that was issued on a petition of the NWFP government.