ISLAMABAD, 21 September 2006 — The Supreme Court of Pakistan yesterday disposed of the appeal of one of the suspects in President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s assassination attempt.
The suspect, Nazir Ahmad, who was acquitted by the top court due to lack of substantial evidence, was immediately detained for three months under “Security and Protection Act” for his alleged links with Al-Qaeda.
Ahmad was acquitted by the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court some time ago. After his acquittal, Punjab government had filed another case against him under Terrorists Act and Ahmad was detained. He later challenged his detention in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court yesterday summoned the Inspector General of Punjab Police Ziaul Hassan and the advocate general of Punjab and sought their opinion on the registration of criminal case against Ahmad under Terrorists Act.
This case was heard by a penal of judges headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and comprising Justice Hameed Dogar and Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi.
On Aug. 21, the Supreme Court had directed the Punjab government to provide complete details of the case with an instruction to the IG Punjab Police and the advocate general to personally appear before the top court. Ahmad has been in police custody for the last two years.
Police told the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court Ahmad supplied arms and ammunition to those involved in the assassination attempt on President Musharraf. However, Ahmad was allowed to petition the Supreme Court.
