The Supreme Court building in Islamabad. - File Photo

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the intelligence agencies to produce seven people in their custody on Feb 9, DawnNews reported.

An apex court bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez heard a petition filed by a woman whose three sons had been picked up by intelligence personnel for their alleged role in the Oct 2009 attacks on the army GHQ and the Inter-Services Intelligence agency’s Hamza Camp in Rawalpindi.

The woman had alleged that her sons and eight other people had been kept in illegal confinement since May 29, 2010, and four of them, including one of her sons, Abdus Saboor, had died in mysterious circumstances.

Raja Arshad, the lawyer of Judge Advocate General (JAG) Branch and chiefs of the ISI and MI told the bench that the four had died due to illness.

Arshad further said that he was not aware of the nature of the illness but that his clients were ready to conduct port mortems of the bodies.

The chief justice mentioned that the prime minister had appeared before the court and told the lawyer that no one was above the law and the Constitution.

The Constitution provides people protection and guarantees their independence, he added.

Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned to Feb 9.

Opinion

Editorial

Tribunals’ failure
Updated 19 Nov, 2024

Tribunals’ failure

With election tribunals having failed to fulfil their purpose, it isn't surprising that Pakistan has not been able to stabilise.
Balochistan MPC
19 Nov, 2024

Balochistan MPC

WHILE immediate threats to law and order must be confronted by security forces, the long-term solution to...
Firm tax measures
19 Nov, 2024

Firm tax measures

FINANCE Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb is ready to employ force to make everyone and every sector in Pakistan pay their...
When medicine fails
Updated 18 Nov, 2024

When medicine fails

Between now and 2050, medical experts expect antibiotic resistance to kill 40m people worldwide.
Nawaz on India
Updated 18 Nov, 2024

Nawaz on India

Nawaz Sharif’s hopes of better ties with India can only be realised when New Delhi responds to Pakistan positively.
State of abuse
18 Nov, 2024

State of abuse

The state must accept that crimes against children have become endemic in the country.