ISLAMABAD - Justice Azmat Saeed, in a suo motu case of the Islamabad district courts attack case, remarked possibility of nexus between insiders of the court and terrorists could not be ruled out.
A two-member bench of the Supreme Court, presided over by Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, took up the suo motu notice on the court attack case for hearing Monday.
The IGP, the chief commissioner, chief secretaries of all the four provinces and the district and sessions judge presented their respective reports. The IGP said in his report that two terrorists attacked the court while in the report presented by the chief secretary it was stated that the attackers were more than two.
The SC expressed dissatisfaction over the reports submitted by the IG Islamabad and the chief commissioner, declaring the IGP’s report incomplete.
The CJP remarked: “It has not been mentioned in the reports if there was any security plan with regard to the district courts or otherwise. It has also not been told if the attackers were chased or not and if any step was taken to intercept the attackers or not. The number of the attackers was also not mentioned in the report of the chief commissioner.” The SC ordered the IG to submit additional report within two days.
Justice Azmat Saeed remarked: “What will the police do that could not ascertain how many attackers were involved in the attack? The two reports run contrary to each other. If this is security situation in Islamabad, what will be the condition in other parts of the country?”
The court directed Interior Secretary Shahidullhah Khan to constitute a joint investigation team, headed by DIG and comprising independent, upright and competent police and FIA officers, to probe the matter and complete the investigation within two weeks. It further directed the interior secretary not to make the Islamabad police part of the inquiry committee. Khalid Noon, the reader of the slain judge, told the court that ASP AR Aziz kept on harassing him for 18 to 20 hours and threatened him to give statement or face the murder charge.
The CJP said: “You should give some specific statement in respect of the incident. Don’t worry and tell us the facts fearlessly.”
The reader said he was being asked to give the statement that Rafaqat Awan was fired at from inside the court while he saw the attackers firing on the judge.
Col Safdar, brother of the slain judge, Rafaqat Awan, said the reader’s statement was based on falsehood. “Rafaqat Awan was shot at from inside his chamber. Four bullets were fired at him from inside his chamber.”
The CJP told Col Safdar that such statements from his side could influence the investigation of the case.
Justice Azmat Saeed remarked: “Possibility of nexus of insiders of the court with the terrorists cannot be ruled out.”
Justice Azmat Saeed remarked: “Possibility of nexus of insiders of the court with the terrorists cannot be ruled out.”
The court held that the inquiry committee constituted under Justice Shaukat Aziz of Islamabad High Court should continue its work and present its report before it.
Sheikh Ahsan-ud-Din, former president, Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA), Rawalpindi Bench, contended Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar’s statement that Additional District and Sessions Judge Rafaqat Awan had been killed by the bullet of his own guard. He said such statements could influence the merits of the case.
The court stopped ministers, government officials and public representatives from giving any statement on the incident, which could affect the investigation. The court said they also objected to the statement of the minister, but would not give any observation on it at this stage.
The Islamabad District Court Bar Association (DBA) president pleaded that the terrorist attack took place due to the negligence of the police.
The hearing of the case was adjourned till March 17.