The apex court on Monday, expressed dissatisfaction over the report
submitted by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) regarding the financial details of the Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA) leadership.
A two-member bench of the apex court, comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Qazi Faez Isa, resumed the hearing of a suo motu case regarding last year’s Faizabad sit-in.
Justice Alam questioned why the ISI did not mention the source of Khadim Rizvi’s income, bank accounts and whether he pays tax or not. “I fear for the country after seeing the performance of premier agency [ISI],” Justice Qazi Faez Isa said.
The bench has summoned Attorney-General, Ashtar Ausaf Ali (AGP) on next date of hearing.
When Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Sohail Mahmood, who appeared on behalf of the federal government, said the ISI revealed that he is reportedly corrupt, the bench asked him to explain how he did the corruption.
Earlier today, the country’s premier intelligence agency told the Supreme Court that Khadim Hussain Rizvi, whose protest last November brought Islamabad to a standstill, is “reportedly financially corrupt”.
The ISI submitted a comprehensive report, wherein it is stated that the ISI had recommended that the federal government avoid the use of force and resolve the issue peacefully through negations with TLYR
“Despite ISI’s recommendations to solve the issue politically and avoid the use of force, an operation against the dharna was launched on November 25, 2017 on the orders of the Islamabad High Court. The operation was an utter failure [and] triggered countrywide protests,” says the report. A copy of the 46-page report is available with The Express Tribune.
The complete profiles of the leadership of the protesters – Rizvi, Dr Muhammad Ashraf Asif Jalali, and Pir Muhammad Afzal Qadri – have also been attached to the report.
An Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday issued arrest warrants for Tehreek-e-Labbaik-Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA) firebrand cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi and Afzal Qadri in a case related to last year’s Faizabad sit-in.
The police failed to submit final challans against Rizvi and Pir Fazal. Court has ordered police to submit final challans by April 4.
The court expressed dismay over no show of main culprits in the ongoing case. Three cases have been registered against Rizvi, Qadri and Maulana Inayat.
ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand has postponed the next hearing till April 4.
ATC on March 6 declared Rizvi as well as other leaders of Tehrik-e-Labbaik absconders and initiated the proclamation process against the suspects over their failure to appear for trials of cases relating to the Faizabad sit-in.
ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand issued the proclamation under Section 87 (absconding) against Rizvi and others after they failed to appear before the court to face three separate cases lodged against the clerics and protesters.
Court officials revealed that the court had earlier issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Rizvi and others after they failed to respond to various summonses issued to them. Earlier, a local lawyer Rao Abdul Rahim had appeared on behalf of the clerics and obtained bail for them.
When the court resumed hearing on Monday, prosecutor Shafqaat Chaudhry informed the court that despite service of various summonses, the clerics did not appear. He said that the police could not execute the arrest warrants since the whereabouts of these clerics were not known.
The court then directed the prosecution to issue proclamations for Rizvi and other leaders of Tehreek-e-Labbaik.
