ISLAMABAD: The armed operation against the protestors of banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) was challenged before the Islamabad High Court (IHC), on Thursday. A single bench of IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq will take up the petition moved by Shohada Foundation of Pakistan through its Trustee Hafiz Ihtesham Ahmed today (Friday).
The Federation through secretary, Ministry of Interior, the prime minister through his principal secretary, Federal Minister of Interior Sheikh Rasheed, and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) have been cited as respondents.
Shohada Foundation filed the writ petition through advocate Tariq Asad for interpretation and application of Article 245 in the specific circumstances of operation against TLP, "killing over 27 persons brutally", in the light of judgment of this court. He added that the petition is motivated by the conviction that the fundamental rights of the citizens as embodied in Articles 2-A, 4, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, and 22 have been grossly violated by the respondents.
The petition read, The brutal armed operation having been done under the instructions of the competent authority/prime minister/respondent No 2, by law enforcing agencies, entirely unwarranted by law of the land be declared without lawful authority and unconstitutional being in abuse of powers and excess of jurisdiction in violation of Article 245 of the Constitution as held in Liaqat Ali case, supra and law of the land and those who are responsible to manoeuvre the said illegal armed operation clandestinely and arbitrarily be dealt with in accordance with law.
It prayed that a Judicial Commission comprising retired Supreme Court judges and Ulema/religious scholars of credibility and integrity be constituted to hold enquiry of the tragic incident of use of force against TLP followers in order to disclose the whole facts and to place the responsibility of this tragic event.
The petitioner requested the court to direct the competent authority to take disciplinary action against respondent No 4, who failed to perform his duty by censoring the event unlawfully and directing the TV channels to give unilateral information against the TLP followers concealing their death toll and giving false information about the deaths of police officials in favour of the government and failing to decide the matter earliest possible to save the lives of innocent citizens.
He also requested to direct the respondents No 1 to 3 to quash the FIRs against the arrested persons in an unlawful manner.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021