ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday issued notices to the federal government in a petition filed against the killing of 11 Pakistani Hindus in Jodhpur city of India. 

A single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice of IHC Justice Athar Minallah issued notices on the petition moved by Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA).  

The bench directed the ministry of foreign affairs and secretary cabinet division to submit reply in this matter and deferred the proceedings for two weeks. 

During the hearing, President IHCBA Chaudhry Haseeb Advocate adopted the stance before the court that the bar had moved the petition in public interest and national cause. He said a Pakistani Hindu family visited Rajhasthan where Indian spy agency plotted their murder through extremist organization RSS.  

Haseeb maintained the family members of Hindu community were killed after they refused to spy for India in Pakistan. 

Justice Athar said that it was our constitutional responsibility to protect the rights of Pakistani citizens, particularly that of minorities. He said it was a good thing to raise voice for the minorities. 

In its petition, the association prayed to the court to issue orders to the federal government and the Foreign Office to agitate the matter before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and further take serious actions in filing representation before the ICJ to ban Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) terrorist organization. 

The petitioner also requested the court to direct the respondent secretaries to initiate appropriate action against Indian Embassy Islamabad and to take all essential steps to ensure dispensation of fair justice to the victim family. 

The IHCBA moved the court through its President Chaudhry Haseeb Muhammad Advocate and cited federation of Pakistan through Secretary Cabinet Division and Secretary Foreign Affairs as respondents. 

According to the petition, it was duty of the Indian government to ensure security of the victims but it has miserably failed to give any protection which shows that India is not safe for any visitor or traveller. 

“Despite repeated requests by the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi for details regarding the tragic incident, the Indian Government continues to evade the issue, has disclosed only scant information about the case,” said the IHCBA.