MULTAN,April 6th:The father of a detained US national Ramay Zamzam has filed an application before the Lahore High Court seeking permission to meet his son in the jail. Saeed Zamzam, the father of the alleged terrorist, submitted the application through his counsel Khalid Khawaja Advocate. In his plea, Zamzam said he is a cancer patient and wants to return to the United States for his treatment. “I wish to see my son before departing to the US,” he pleaded. Ramay Zamzam and four other US nationals were arrested from Sargodha in connection with their alleged links with militants.
MULTAN, March 28th:The hearing of five detained US citizens would be held at District Jail Sargodha on March 31. The special Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) Sargodha headed by a judge Anwar Nazeer had adjourned the hearing till March 31 after formally charged the five detained US citizens. The court had charged the five US citizens including Umar Farooq, Waqar Hussain, Rami Zamzam, Ahmad Abdullah Mini and Amman Hassan Yammer on March 17. "A total of seven charges have been laid against them. They include funding a banned or proscribed organization and helping out a banned organization". The court has also convened DPO Dr. Usman Anwar and other police officers for witnesses in the case. Strict security measures would be taken inside jail during the hearing.
MULTAN,March 26th:Some four Civil Judges of Arifwala (Pakpattan district) have tendered resignation to protest the slapping of a civil judge in Faisalabad while Faisalabad judges also went on leave for the same reason. However, Additional Session Judge Arfiwala said that the resignations have not been accepted. The judges who tendered their resignations include Adnan Mushtaq, Mian Manzoor, Ahmed Adnan, Anjum Gondal and Imtiaz Hassan. District and Session Judges in different parts of Punjab including Lahore, Kasur, Faisalabad, Pakpattan, Arifwala and Sheikhupura remained absent from their courts.However Senior Civil JUdge of Layyah has withdrawn his resignation, as announced by the Registrar of Lahore High Court.
MULTAN,March 25th:Lahore High Court (LHC) issued non-bailable warrant for the lawyer who slapped a civil judge in Faisalabad and ordered for his arrest and appearance in the court on March 30. Thursday.A two-member LHC bench heard the suo motu case regarding the civil judge slapping in Faisalabad; however, the lawyer who slapped the Civil Judge did not appear before the court.Faisalabad police in their written statement to the court, said the lawyer received the judicial order regarding court appearance; on this, the court issued his non-bailable warrants and ordered police to arrest bring him to the court on March 30.There was heavy police presence on the occasion.Meantime, the Civil Judges of Faisalabad, Sahiwal and Lahore stopped working to express solidarity with the Faisalabad Civil Judge.
MULTAN,March 25:Local civil judges on thursday suspended their professional duties to express their solidarity with Senior civil Judge Multan Muhammad Kaleem Khan who had resigned for his office as a protest against bypassing the merit as well as seniority list and granting promotion to five judges neglecting the 17 others.Lawyers also observed the protest day and they wore black armband and held protest meetings in all the bar rooms of Southern Punjab.They also expressed solidarity with the senior civil judge. It may be recalled that another senior civil judge of Layyah Shaikh Jaed Iqbal had resigned as a protest against this injustice.
MULTAN,March 23rd: District & Session Judge Dera Ghazi Khan Malik Pir Muhammad Adil has awarded life term imprisonment to ex-SHO/ Inspector of Police station Sadar Ch.Ali Muhammad and ordered him to pay compensation of Rs.0.5 million to the deceased family.The court acquitted the other accused of this case of custodial death of a youth.Syed Sadiq Hussain Shah of Block 51(Mehboob colony) filed a complaint against police official in the court.He submitted that his son Kashif shah was arrested by the Police without committing any crime on April 18,2007.SHO Ch.Ali Muhammad subjected him to severe torture at Police station, consequently he died on April 30. He found scars of torture on his body and bullet fire wound on his head. But Police got the autopsy report of its choice. This complaint was referred to district and Session Judge Dera Ghazi Khan by the order of Supreme court of Pakistan on Januat Ist,2010. After testifying the evidences, the court awarded life term imprisonment to SHO/ Inspector however the court acquitted head constable Khadim Hussain, Constables Haider Mirani and Muhammad Saleem giving them benefit of doubt.
MULTAN, March 23rd:Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, Mr.Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif has warned the tax commissioners to change their behaviour and mindset otherwise breaking news may come anytime about them. He said that Tax collectors humiliate the traders and they force them to sit out of their office for hours to pose themselves an authority. Chief Justice said that Movement of Lawyers and civil society for restoration of independent judiciary had set a record and astonished the world."Pakistani Nation had proved that it can give any sacrifice for the supremacy of law and independence of judiciary.Delivering his speech at an inaugural ceremony of new building of Multan Tax Bar Association last night. He said the dispensation of justice was a difficult and intricate task and the vision of independent judiciary can materialize with the help and sincere efforts of the Bar. The Chief Justice of LHC said it was a responsibility of the Bar to assist the Bench in dispensation of justice to the common public. He further said the lawyers had been in the legal field for a long time and have adequate experience and they must put into practice their energies and expertise in order to benefit the litigants and civil society.Chief Justice said Lawyers struggle had given them a good name. He said that there was no precedence of such type of struggle in world's history.Lawyers of United States and United Kingdom were still confused how the Pakistan Lawyers run this movement for two years.Commenting on the statement of Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani that we made a mistake by delaying the restoration of judiciary, The Chief Justice said that it was hisd greatness who admitted his err open heartedly. He said that Multanites should be proud of such a prime minister who executed many mega projects of roads, flyovers, underpasses and bridges. He also appreciated the designing of RTO office of Multan describing it a beautiful building. He said that four or five provisional constitutional orders were introduced in the country by dicators but it was for the first time that PCO judges had to go back home.He said that Media was playing a key role in exposing the mistakes of " haves" and it was educating the General public.Chief Justice said that officers should be kind with their subordinates. To a demand, Chief Justice said that it required proper legislation to transfer the discretionary powers of Commissioner Income Tax to JUdicial Member Appellate Tribunal. Commenting on the changing the name of income tax as inland revenue, Chief Justice said that renaming can't serve any purpose and there is a need for changing the mindset.He said ," Iam in the city of spiritual saints but Iam also a resident of "Data-Ki- Nagri". President of Multan Tax Bar Khalid Asad Chaudhry said in his welcome address that present judiciary was vital to save the country from the plunderers and looters of national coffers.He said that it was the third biggest tax bar of the country after Karachi and Lahore.Later Chief Justice gave away the shields to the bar office bearers
MULTAN, March 23rd:Senior Civil Judge Layyah Shaikh Javed Iqbal has resigned from his service as a protest against the promotion of five judges neglecting the seniority list and merit. In his resignation to registrar of High Court, the civil Judge prayed that he was serving as civil judge for the last 13 years and there was no blot on his service record. Inspite of that he and his 17 collagues were not promoted and other five judges were promoted bypassing the seniority and merit list.This injustice had shattered his confidence and now he was unable to continue his services.He said that promotion committee had deferred his promotion without showing any reason. Now he would join the bar.
MULTAN,March 22nd: Judges of Faisalabad suspended the hearing/ proceedings of all cases in civil as well as criminal courts as a protest when a lawyer,Mian Liaquat Javed slapped Civil Judge Tariq Mehmood in a local court here on Monday. Court official confirmed this even and said that District & Session Judge Faisalabad Suhail Nasir has asked his subordinate judges to stop their work.Reacting to the incident, the Session Judge Faisalabad ordered all the judges to stop functioning forthwith, said a court official. President of District Bar S.M.Iqbal said," It was very sorrowful incident and we have apologised to District and session judge and the concerned judge.Our delegation called on them and apoplogy. However Session Judge has also informed the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court about this incident.
MULTAN, March 17th Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) Sargodha headed by Judge Anwar Nazeer on Wednesday charged five Americans with funnelling money to outlaws and plotting a terror attack that could see them jailed for life if found guilty, lawyers said.The five men aged 19 to 25 denied the seven charges read out by Judge Anwar Nazeer in ATC convened under tight security at the district jail of Sargodha, where they were arrested in December."Charges have been laid against all the accused. All these charges are terrorism-related. The offences are punishable by life imprisonment," defence lawyer Shahid Kamal told reporters.The court named the five as Umar Farooq, Waqar Hussain, Rami Zamzam, Ahmad Abdullah Mini and Amman Hassan Yammer, defence lawyer Hasan Dastagir said."A total of seven charges have been laid against them. They include funding a banned or proscribed organisation and helping out a banned organisation."One of the charges is conspiring to carry out a terrorist attack within Pakistan or an allied country," he added.Prosecutors and police had long called for the five men to be charged with plotting militant attacks in Pakistan and attempting to commit an act of terror against countries that are at peace with Pakistan.Although those countries have not been named, Pakistani officials have said the young men planned to travel to neighbouring Afghanistan and join up with Taliban-led militants fighting US and Nato troops.The five men professed their innocence Wednesday, lawyers told reporters."The judge asked if they accept the charges. All the accused unanimously rejected them. They said 'we totally deny the charges'," Dastagir said.Nazeer adjourned the next hearing until March 31, when the prosecutor is scheduled to provide evidence against the accused.Wednesday's proceedings were held under tight security and reporters were not allowed near the prison where the accused have been held and where special guards lined the perimeter to prevent intrusions.A US consular staff member attended the hearing on Wednesday, the US embassy in Islamabad confirmed, but made no further comment.A Pakistani court has barred the Americans' deportation to the United States, where they lived before travelling to Pakistan last year.
MULTAN,Feb 17th:Anti Terrorism Court Sargodha has dismissed on Wednesday a request for the release on bail of five Americans accused of contacting militants over the Internet and plotting terrorist attacks.The students, in their 20s and from the U.S. state of Virginia, were detained in December in the central Pakistani town of Sargodha, 277 km (170 miles) north of Multan.They have not been formally charged but could face lengthy prison terms if found guilty.The case of the Americans, who were arrested days after arriving in Pakistan, has raised alarm over the danger posed by militants using the Internet to evade tighter international security measures and plan attacks.A defense lawyer for the five men, Hassan Katchela, told Reuters by telephone that an anti-terrorist judge in Sargodha turned down the plea for their release on bail."We were not expecting the dismissal, as despite our repeated demands for evidence and charges, the prosecutors failed to provide anything substantial against them," he said. "Now we will approach a higher court."A panel of defense lawyers for the men said the charges brought against their clients were "vague" and requested an anti-terrorist court on Tuesday to order their release on bail.Police have said emails showed they contacted Pakistani militants who had planned to use them for attacks in Pakistan, a front-line state in the U.S.-led war against militancy.The men -- two of them of Pakistani origin, one of Egyptian, one of Yemeni and one of Eritrean origin -- told the court earlier they only wanted to provide fellow Muslims in Afghanistan with medical and financial help.They have accused the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pakistani police of torturing them and trying to frame them. Pakistani authorities have denied the accusations of mistreatment.Pakistan is fighting al Qaeda-linked militants and under pressure from Washington to help stabilize neighboring Afghanistan by cracking down harder on militants' cross-border attacks on U.S.-led troops.Now they will move to High Court for bail.
MULTAN,Feb 10th: Mr.Justice Abdul Rehman Ansari of Lahore High Court Multan Bench has ordered the intelligence agen men and Police to produce a missing youth Mohsin Rasheed befor the court on February 19 otherwise a criminal case would be got instituted against them. The petitioner Abdul Rasheed alleged that his son Mohsin Rasheed was arrested by Sanawan Police on February 15,2009 from the home located in village Dogra Klasra and Police also took his computer, CDs and colour television in its custody. but later his son was given in the custody of Inter Services Intelligence for interrogation. Earlier the court ordered the concerned officials to grant pre-arrest bail from the session court, Upon this they granted bail before arrest from the Session court on Feb 3rd, 2010. Intelligence agency men stated that Mohsin Rasheed was not in their custody. The court observed that the provincial government should release him against whom there was no material on record or who had no links with terrorists and not involved in terror acts. “If he is involved in terror or anti-state activities, he should be charged and produced before court rather to be kept in illegal captivity,”
MULTAN,Jan 22nd:A US citizen of Pakistani origin, Umar Farooq, who is currently being held at the Sargodha Jail, met with his parents, while noone came to see his four others US accomplices.According to jail sources, Umar Farooq’s meeting with his parents continued for 45 minutes, in which they discussed matters relating to the trial.His parents looked emotional to see their son in the jail.Later, Umar Farooq’s father Khalid Farooq thanked the media for its support and positive reporting. He said that he would fully defend their case in the court.
Multan, Jan 18:Five Americans arrested in Pakistan on suspicion of terrorism told a court on Monday that they had been tortured by police - charges that could add to political sensitivities surrounding the case. The men made the allegations during a hearing before a special anti-terrorism court in Sargodha.
The session was held in order for police to submit a charge sheet alleging that the suspects had conspired in a terrorist act, a formal legal step that brings them closer to a possible indictment. The men also shouted the allegations to reporters as they were driven from the building. No details as to the nature of the alleged torture were given.
Prison authorities and police denied any ill-treatment. A US Embassy spokesman said he had no immediate comment about the torture allegations, but noted consular officials have visited the men. The five men from the Washington area, were detained in December at a house in Sargodha not long after arriving in Pakistan.
The media and the public were not allowed to attend the court session, but a court order obtained by The Associated Press said the men "have made a complaint that they have been tortured in the custody of police." It instructed the men to undergo medical examinations. Later, reporters heard several of the men shout three times in unison, "We are being tortured," as they were driven from the courthouse in a prison van.
Senior police officer Usman Anwar denied the allegations, as did Aftab Haanif, the deputy superintendent of the jail where the men are being held, who said they were receiving better food than regular inmates. "We categorically deny that we tortured them at any stage of the interrogation," Anwar said. "The court has ordered a medical examination that will make everything clear."
In Monday's hearing, police submitted a charge sheet and evidence consisting of 250 pages to the court in which the men are accused of violating several sections of Pakistan's penal code and anti-terrorism law.THe Court sent them to prison on jyudicial remand till February 2nd,2010 The most serious charge is conspiracy to carry out a terrorist act, which could carry life imprisonment depending on what the act is, according to prosecutor Nadim Akram Cheema and police officer Amir Shirazi. The charge sheet also said they planning a terrorist activity in a foreign country, a likely reference to Afghanistan. Prosecutors now have to decide whether the case is strong enough to charge the men and bring them to trial.Anti Terrorism Court has sent them to prison for 16 days. THey shouted Slogans "Allah-o-Akbar" after coming out of the court.