SC expresses dissatisfaction over Faizabad sit-in report

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday expressed dissatisfaction over the report submitted by an intelligence agency regarding the source of funding of Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the leader of a religious party behind the Faizabad sit-in last year.

The apex court had taken notice of the anti-judiciary remarks during the weeks long protest and the subsequent blockades of roads.

A two-member bench of the court, headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, heard the case.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the report, Justice Isa remarked that the bench, at the last hearing, had inquired from the agency to inform it of the source of Rizvi’s funding.

The court inquired from the deputy attorney general (DAG), who submitted the report on behalf of the agency, how he could be satisfied with the agency’s report and expressed surprise that the agency was unaware of Rizvi’s source of income.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa remarked that Khadim Rizvi destroyed property worth billions of rupees yet no one knew what he did.

Justice Isa asked about Rizvi’s profession, wondering if he was a businessman, cleric or did something else.

He observed that it was difficult to build Pakistan, but easy to destroy it.

The court also suggested that it could conduct an in-camera hearing, if a sensitive issue was involved.

Directing the DAG to re-submit the report through the attorney general’s office, the hearing was adjourned for two weeks.