Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Umar Ata Bandial asked the federal government to submit a reply on a petition filed by Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed against drone attacks, allowing it till April 18 in this regard. Earlier, the Deputy Attorney-General (DAG) sought more time, taking the plea that the caretaker government had recently taken charge and time was needed for filing the reply.
Objecting to the court's jurisdiction, the DAG said that drone attacks were occurring in areas that were outside the jurisdiction of this court. Overruling the objections, the Chief Justice remarked that innocent people, including women and children, were victims and this court had jurisdiction to take the cognizance of such matters. Hafiz Saeed had filed the petition, urging the court to direct the federal government to ensure that drone attacks stopped occurring on Pakistan's soil. His Counsel claimed that the government was making no efforts against the drone attacks.
He submitted that the federal government should be directed to make public information in all matters of public importance, especially the 'secret deal' with the US in implementation of Article 19-A of the Constitution which entitled every citizen of Pakistan to have access to all information. He stated that since the courts were open, any citizen could invoke constitutional jurisdiction of the superior courts to help innocent people of this country who were being murdered by a foreign power. He sought directions to declare that pre-emptive strikes by foreign countries were not permitted by international laws.