ISLAMABAD, 2 November 2007 — Pakistan’s Supreme Court yesterday handed down a 15-day suspended jail sentence to the former Islamabad police chief and his deputy for maltreating Pakistan’s chief justice in March.
The court found the top Islamabad police officers guilty of manhandling Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on March 13 as he went to a court hearing to contest his suspension by President Pervez Musharraf on suspicion of abusing his authority.
A three-member bench headed by Judge Rana Baghwandas handed down the sentences to former Islamabad police chief Chaudhry Iftikhar and Senior Superintendent of Police Zafar Iqbal, who have already been transferred from their positions over the incident. Deputy Superintendent of Police Jameel Hashmi, Inspector Rukhsar Mehdi and guard Siraj were handed down jail sentences of one month each.
The court had earlier sentenced Islamabad Commissioner Khalid Pervez and Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali, but their sentences were suspended following appeals by the two officials seeking pardon.
Those sentenced yesterday have 15 days to appeal the verdict.
Another bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry ordered top government officials to file a comprehensive report on the Oct. 18 bombing that targeted former Premier Benazir Bhutto in Karachi, killing 139 people. The court expressed impatience with the investigation that has yet to identify the culprits or their motive.
Chaudhry, leading the four-member panel of judges, ordered the senior officials to file a “comprehensive report” on the bombing within a week, at which time the next hearing will be set.
“Let us see what they are doing” about the investigation, Chaudhry said. “They should know that we are fully aware of the gravity of the situation.”
In a letter to Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao yesterday, Benazir’s Pakistan People’s Party said valuable evidence was lost because the bomb scene was not properly preserved.
Another top court bench hearing appeals against Musharraf’s re-election is unlikely to rule in the case until Nov. 12 — three days before Musharraf’s current term as army chief ends, a judge said.
The verdict on the Oct. 6 vote had been expected by the end of this week, but legal arguments were taking longer than predicted and the court is not sitting next week, presiding Judge Javed Iqbal said.
The timing for the case will now be tight, as Musharraf’s term as president ends on Nov. 15. There is speculation he could declare an emergency if the court nullifies the win or if the case overshoots that date.
Iqbal dismissed speculation about emergency rule after a lawyer presenting the petitions against Musharraf’s election win said ministers had warned of such a step.
“This bench cannot be influenced by such threats, whether they are of martial law or emergency. Do not take statements of ministers seriously,” Iqbal told the court as he adjourned the hearing for the day.
“It was our effort to wind up the case soon but it has lingered on due to lengthy arguments by the lawyers,” he added.
“If this case does not conclude by tomorrow it will not be heard next week due to engagements of one of the judges and will be then heard on Nov. 12,” he added.
Pakistan’s attorney general and other government lawyers have yet to conclude their arguments, while the lawyers for the petitioners are also expected to need more time.
The court is dealing with two appeals against the presidential election that focus on Musharraf’s role as army chief and on the fact that the vote was carried out by the outgoing national and provincial parliaments.
Aitzaz Ahsan, the main lawyer for the petitioners, said it appeared the case would now go on after Nov. 12.
“The government seems to have changed its strategy and I feel there is something black at the bottom of it,” he told the court.
