The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday summoned Chief Secretary Punjab to appear before it on Tuesday and explain as to why Home Secretary Punjab was helpless and not in position to recover the missing persons.
A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday resumed hearing of a case related to the eleven persons accused of terrorist activities and after High Court's acquittal verdict went missing from Adiala Jail premises.
During course of hearing, the counsel for petitioners, apprised the Court that the Superintendent of Adiala Jail handed over 11 persons to intelligence agencies and they were in police custody for the last three years.
Additional Attorney General K K Agha apprised the court that Federal Government contacted all departments included secret agencies but they declined their possession.
Home Secretary Punjab Shahid Khan apprised the Court that he was helpless in recovery of these missing persons and the Court could direct IG Punjab for the recovery of those persons. After hearing these arguments, CJ remarked "If you are helpless then who will be responsible for protection of ordinary people."
He questioned if he was helpless then he should give his justification for holding home secretary office. The Chief Justice further said if Punjab government authorities were helpless, then the Court might dispose of the case and let the people arrange their own security measures.
IG prison Kokab Nadeem submitted the leave record of Superintendent Adyala jail. The bench termed it dissatisfactory and said that you provided fake record to safeguard your interests. Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramady remarked the IG prison must be sent to jail, because he was deceiving the Court.
The IG told the Court that superintendents jail Adiala and Multan had life threats from Tehrik-e-Taliban and that's why he used another way of granting leave to these two officials. During the course of hearing, the CJ snubbed CPO Rawalpindi Fakhar Sultan over arrest of his superintendent and Deputy superintendent Adiala jail and remarked had you read out our previous order where was a directive for their arrest!
These accused were arrested on allegations of attack on former president Pervez Musharraf, possession of suicide jackets, GHQ Hamza case and attack on Kamra. The Anti Terrorist Court had acquitted them from these charges but the DCO had issued their one-month detention orders against which they also got vacating orders from the High Court.