ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed Monday said that the court would summon the prime minister if an accused Arif Gull is not produced from an internment centre in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP).
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed conducted hearing of Sultan Muhammad’s habeas corpus petition regarding detention of Arif Gull, who had been accused of attacking a military camp near the Afghan border area. When the Chief Justice asked the additional attorney general if he had brought the accused, he replied that Arif Gull is in the detention centre and it is difficult to bring him.
At this, Justice Gulzar said, “Lock the courts, if he (Gull) cannot be produced.” He further said that the court also has the power to summon the defense leadership.
Expressing his displeasure, the chief justice asked the additional attorney general, “Why Gull’s citizenship issue had not been resolved? The matter has been under investigation since 2019.”
The KP advocate general informed that Arif Gull was involved in the attack on an army camp near Afghan border. He told that Gull’s counselling and vocational training had been completed in the detention centre. Justice Jamal Mandokhel inquired, “What is the law under which Arif Gull was kept in the detention centre.” He added that FATA has now been merged with KP. The apex court rejected the additional attorney general and KP advocate general’s request for some more time. The KP advocate general informed that the accused could not be produced on Monday as he had to bring him from KP province. Then the chief justice deferred the hearing till today for further hearing.