ISLAMABAD - While hearing a case regarding the Faizabad sit-in by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah, the Islamabad High Court Monday gave the last opportunity to the federal government to submit the report f Raja Zafarul Haq-led committee having probed the alleged changes in a clause regarding the finality of the prophethood (PBUH).

IHC Judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui warned the federal government that if the committee report was not submitted until February 20, the court would issue contempt notices to all those found responsible for the alleged changes, adding it might also consider issuance of a notice to the chief executive (the prime minister) of the country.

During the hearing, Justice Siddiqui expressed his resentment after Deputy Attorney General Arshad Mehmood Kiani sought a fortnight time for the submission of the report.

The judge observed the federal government which had already been given sufficient time was playing a hide-and-seek game. The court said that after receiving the report and para-wise comments, it would start day-to-day hearing of the petitions.

The government had constituted a committee led by Senator Raja Zafarul Haq to probe the issue of amendment to the Khatm-e-Nabuwat (PBUH) clause and fix the responsibility as well.

Expressing annoyance over the non-submission of the report, Justice Siddiqui in its order said, “I am constrained to observe that the conduct exhibited by the federal government with regard to submission of the report is totally uncalled for and irresponsible.

I fail to understand why the order passed by this court is being frustrated by avoiding submission of the report of the committee headed by Senator Raja Zafarul Haq, with Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan as its members. Now an excuse has been advanced that Ahsan Iqbal is out of the country and the report has not been finalised. Vide order dated November 14, 2017, the federal government was also directed to submit the report and para-wise comments on the writ petition, but the needful has not so far been done.”

At the last hearing, the bench had also directed the Ministry of Defence to submit a report to fix the responsibility as to who used the name of the army chief in a disputed agreement between the TLYR leadership and the federal government.

The Ministry of Defence Monday submitted its report while Defence Secretary Lt-Gen (r) Zamirul Hassan appeared before the court along with the ministry’s director legal, Col Falak Naz.

Another thing that came under discussion was the report of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) regarding an audio about the November-December Faizabad sit-in. IB Director General Aftab Sultan had told the court that the bureau lacked the facility to identify the voices. The IHC bench had directed the bureau to submit a report and also inform the court which Pakistani institution had the capacity in this connection.

The IB said in its report the Punjab Forensic Science Agency as well as the National Forensic Agency and the Federal Investigation Agency did not have this facility. The IB also contacted the Inter-Services Intelligence and the Military Intelligence, but both of them did not respond to their letters, the court was told.

Later, the court deferred the hearing until February 20.