ISLAMABAD: Rohaifa, the mother of three ‘missing’ men, died of a heart attack on Tuesday night, a day after meeting at the Supreme Court, after a long struggle, her two detained sons who are facing court martial on charges of attacking important defence installations. The third brother died last month.
The woman’s son, Abdul Shakoor, told Dawn that her condition had become unstable soon after meeting Abdul Basit and Abdul Majid, who narrated the circumstances in which their third detained brother Abdul Saboor had died on Jan 20. She was a diabetes patient and also had blood pressure problems.
The Supreme Court, while hearing Ms Rohaifa’s petition, had ordered the intelligence agencies to present the detained civilians before it.
Her three sons were among 11 detainees who had gone missing from Adiyala Jail.
An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi had acquitted them on April 8, 2008, of terrorism, but the Rawalpindi district coordination officer issued their detention order under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, which was set aside by the Lahore High Court on May 28, 2010.
However, Adiyala Jail Superintendent Saeedulllah Gondal handed over the detainees to Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) personnel. They took them to an unspecified place.
In May last year, the judge advocate general informed the apex court that the men had been formally arrested in the first week of April and a case had been registered against them under Section 2(1)(d) of the Pakistan Army Act of 1952.
Of the 11 detainees, four have died — Mohammad Aamir on Aug 15, Tahseenullah on Dec 17 and Said Arab on Dec 18 last year, and Abdul Saboor on Jan 20.
Inna Lillah e wa Inna Elaihi rajioon, sad news I hope no one undergoes a similar situation. I think she couldn't bear the situation in which she saw her children. Our military and intelligence is becoming dangerous for the country now, it seems as if the country has converted into a despotic regime.
Inna Lillah e wa Inna Elaihi rajioon, sad news I hope no one undergoes a similar situation. I think she couldn't bear the situation in which she saw her children. Our military and intelligence is becoming dangerous for the country now, it seems as if the country has converted into a despotic regime.
You are right.
Pakistan Army is a curse on the people of Pakistan.
**The shock and heartbreak a mother suffers after seeing her children in miserably unrecognisable conditions cannot be underestimated.
**
Within 24 hours of meeting her two children, previously ‘missing’ prisoners in the Adiala jail saga, Rohaifa, the petitioner in the shocking case, died of cardiac arrest on Tuesday.
**After a sleepless night following the meeting, 60-year-old Rohaifa developed a heartache. She had earlier witnessed the disturbing sight of her sons, Abdul Majid and Abdul Basit, looking emaciated in tatters, with urine bags protruding out of their trousers.
**
**“She kept talking about Majid and Basit and was weeping since she returned after the meeting,” said one of Rohaifa’s five sons, Abdul Shakoor. Three of them were among the 11 men who went missing from Adiala jail. They were later found in the custody of intelligence agencies.
**
Rohaifa had already suffered an earlier heartbreak.
Last month, of the 11 missing prisoners, four bodies were discovered in Peshawar. One of them was her other son, Abdul Saboor.
**She lost her life before she lost her hope, however. At the hearing on Monday, the slogan she raised in court was “Long live the chief justice”. She had hoped for justice in her last hours. “You can see how they have tortured my sons,” she had pleaded, addressing the chief justice.
**
Rohaifa’s body was taken to her native town of Kohat district, where she will be buried today (Wednesday).
The next hearing of the missing persons’ case in the Supreme Court is on March 1, 2012. Tariq Asad, Rohaifa’s counsel, was clear that her death was the result of the pain she suffered on seeing her tortured sons. Therefore, he said, the responsibility for her death lay with the concerned officials in these agencies. Asad said he would ask the court for stern action against them at the next hearing.
I really feel sympathy for these kids if they are not guilty. I feel very bad and sorry when writing that I do not really know or could say that these kids are guilty or not guilty. Court declaring them not-guilty is irrelevant. Reason is simple, that is, Pakistani laws stink and judges are mega-corrupt, irrational, immoral, as well as cowards. Pakistani judiciary system is paradise for terrorists, criminals, rapists, corrupts, law-breakers, power-abusers, killers, etc, etc, etc.
Anyhow, let have a glimpse on Pakistani laws, where corrupts can live beyond means like King and could have billions in bank balance and assets that corrupt accumulated while in office, but could get away unpunished from court because no one can prove that corrupt's money and life style is due to corruption (no one can even ask the corrupt where his wealth comes from).
Well, in Pakistani system of justice, rape and adultery is same (endorsed by thugs holding religious offices). One such religious thug (head of JI) came on TV defending 'hudood ordinance' said that if girl is raped, she should stay quite as it is impossible that she would be able to find required witnesses of repute.
Thus, if someone rapes a girl, then no court can punish the rapist (if they follow the law) due to lack of witnesses. Witness requirement is that four (4) very highly respectable male adults who saw rape with their own eyes, and they can say with certainty that the girl was really violated, means, they saw actual act happening with their own eyes without doubts, assumptions, speculations or imaginations, are willing to be witnesses. They should have courage too, as rapist might harm them and police (and judges) who may be assisting rapist might even implicate witnesses on rape charges. Obviously, it is impossible to find even one such witness, leave four, and that means rapist going free due to lack of witnesses.
Worst is that, if the girl becomes pregnant than rapist would not get punished (as DNA test cannot annul requirement of witnesses) but girl can be put in jail for fornication or adultery. Witness of her violating the law would be her pregnancy.
In such situation if brothers of girl, who would see rapists free and their sister suffering, take their own revenge from rapist, breaking his neck, then how can one blame the brothers saying that since court found rapist not guilty, than why brothers harmed the rapist.
Same is true regarding terrorism in Pakistan. Courts till now have seldom convicted religious terrorist (similar to these kids) on terrorism charges. Courts regularly release these terrorists with honour, declaring that arrested terrorists are innocent due to lack of witnesses or lack of evidences, though it is also possible that judges may have accepted bribes, or judges fear that terrorist might blow them and their family.
When GHQ was attacked, army was hit and it was army who were plaintiff in court. Since army was plaintiff, court may have considered army witnesses as unsuitable for the case. Thus, having no suitable witnesses, court must have cleared the attackers (or accused attackers). Anyhow, since army is convinced of accused involvement, and know that they (army) were attacked, army seeing that culprits got away free from court, is behaving in same way brothers of rape victim may act.
Here’s an article from 2010 about the same missing adiala inmates, the army at that time had said that they will try them under army act but they were never tried but still kept under detention. Detention is also fine but the condition in which each and every one was is something for our authorities to ponder about.
Agencies admit custody of 11 missing Adiala inmates
ISLAMABAD: The top intelligence agencies of the country admitted before the Supreme Court on Thursday that 11 missing inmates of the Adiala Jail were in their custody and were being tried under the Army Act.
Raja Muhammad Irshad, the counsel for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI), told a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, that the inmates were high profile terrorists, who carried out terrorist attacks on Army personnel and defence installations. The bench heard the case of 11 missing prisoners of the Adiala Jail.
**Earlier, on November 24, heads of the spy agencies, including the Inter-Services Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau and Military Intelligence, submitted a reply through Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq with the Registrar Office of the apex court, stating that 11 missing prisoners of the Adiala Jail were not in the custody of these agencies.
Raja Muhammad Irshad further stated that some persons disguised as secret agencies personnel took custody of these 11 persons who were detained at the Adiala Jail after their release from the jail, and took them to the operational areas to further carry out terrorist attacks.**
Later, the counsel submitted before the court that the law enforcing agencies, including secret agencies, had launched an operation and arrested more than 20 people, along these 11 persons, and they were interrogated as they had deep links with terrorists in different areas of the country and damaged the property of the country, attacking the Army personnel and defence installations.
The counsel further submitted that these 11 persons were in the custody of secret agencies and law enforcing agencies and were being interrogated in accordance with the law under the Army Act. He contended were no more missing persons but were in custody of local and secret agencies. To a court query, the counsel said they were safe and alive and being court-martialed under the Army Act.
“I am making a clear statement before the court on behalf of these secret agencies and dispel the impression that the Pakistan Army or any of its functionaries, like the ISI, are not amenable to this court,” the counsel submitted, adding that Pakistan Army and ISI and other organisations were subject to the Constitution and hold this court in high esteem.
The counsel further contended that there were certain elements who had vested interests and were creating misunderstandings by giving an impression that the Pakistan Army and the ISI were above the law and had no respect for the court.
He explained that this impression may not be considered at all as they had full respect and were bound to follow orders and judgments of this court. The court directed the learned counsel to submit his written statement in this regard on Friday (today) and adjourned the hearing.
Earlier on December 7, officials of secret agencies had met Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq in his office at the Supreme Court and told him that there was a major breakthrough in the case of missing prisoners. Just after the meeting, the attorney general had filed an application in the Supreme Court, seeking early hearing of the missing prisoners’ case, already fixed for hearing on December 13, stating that a major development had occurred in the case, thus it needed to be heard on urgent basis.
On November 25, the court had questioned the law, which regulated functioning of the secret agencies, besides inquiring under what law these agencies were claiming immunity to be not made respondents in the constitutional petitions.
Referring to a reply submitted by the heads of secret agencies in the Supreme Court through the attorney general that missing inmates of Adiala Jail were not in their custody; agencies could not be made respondents in the constitutional petitions and pleas of missing prisoners’ legal heirs making the agencies as respondents were not maintainable; the court had expressed severe anguish, asking the attorney general to tell under which law, the spy agencies were working and claiming immunity not to be impleaded respondents in any case.
The attorney general, however, had withdrawn the reply that secret agencies had immunity and could not be made respondents in any case, after the court had expressed severe dismay over the reply.
The chief justice had noted that no one was above the law, and the court wanted solution to the matter instead of opening Pandora’s box. On November 12, the court had issued notices to the heads of secret agencies—ISI, MI and IB—seeking their comments over disappearance of Adiala Jail’s inmates.
The chief justice had noted that the court should not be forced to go to the maximum extent as evidence was there about the whereabouts of the missing prisoners. The chief justice had noted that it was stated in the Special Branch’s daily situation report (DSR) presented before the court earlier that these prisoners were picked up by the secret agencies from Adiala Jail.
The prisoners, who went missing from the Adiala Jail after the Lahore High Court (LHC) had ordered their release, include Dr Niaz Ahmed, Mazharul Haq, Shafiqur Rehman, Muhammad Aamir, Abdul Majid, Abdul Basit, Abdul Saboor, Shafique Ahmed, Said Arab, Gul Roze and Tehseenullah.
**These prisoners were acquitted by the anti-terrorism court in April this year in four different cases, including rocket firing on the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, rocket firing on the plane of former President Pervez Musharraf, suicide attack on the bus of personnel of an intelligence agency in Rawalpindi and the suicide attack on the main entrance of the military headquarters.
Even after acquittal, these prisoners were detained in the jail by the Punjab Home Department. Later, the LHC set aside their detention orders directing their immediate release and after their alleged disappearance/abduction by the secret agencies, the LHC ordered registration of criminal case against Adiala Jail superintendent Saeedullah and Deputy Superintendent Khalid Bashir. The Adiala Jail authorities had maintained before the LHC that they properly had released the men after getting their written signatures and fulfilling all requirements.
APP adds: A counsel for country’s sensitive agency on Thursday apprised the Supreme Court that eleven missing prisoners of Adyala Jail had been arrested along with a number of terrorists from their hideouts in Army operational areas.
**
Raja Muhammad Irshad, counsel for Federation, Pakistan Army, Inter-Services Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau, Military Intelligence, told a three-member bench consisting of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday that after Court’s direction a massive operation was launched and more than 20 terrorists including these eleven people had been arrested in the operational areas.
**He said they were in safe and secure hands and would be charged under Army Act. He assured the court that their trial would be held in General Field Court Martial in accordance with law.
**
Recording his statement on behalf of respondents, he said that the impression should be dispelled that Pakistan Army and its other institutions were above law and the Court. He said negative impression was given by certain elements who had been playing in the hands of those people who were out to secure their vested interests.
He said, “I want to record a statement to dispel the impression that Pakistan Army or any of its organ is above law and defy Court’s orders. They submit themselves before the Constitution and hold the apex court in the highest regard.”
“They appreciate what the Court is doing for the constitutional governance of the country,” he added. He said these institutions were bound to follow order and judgement of this Court.
Giving details of the incident, he said these prisoners soon after their release from the jail voluntarily given themselves in the custody of people who disguised themselves as secret agencies personnel.
From there, they were taken to operational areas as they had close links with a well-knit terrorists organization and were prepared to cause further damage by launching attacks on Army and sensitive installations.
Irshad said that these people were masterminds of terrorists attacks of Hamza Camp, GHQ, Kamra, Juma prayer attack and even involved in an attack on three-star general in Rawalpindi.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry told Ilyas Aziz Siddiqui, counsel for petitioners, that they were no more missing ones. To counsel’s objection, the Chief Justice told him that he could contact concerned authorities as the counsel had assured the Court that they would be treated according to law.
To Raja Irshad’s remark, the chief justice observed that they had much respect for Army and its organs as they were defending the country, countrymen and frontiers. Justice Ghulam Rabbani said that they knew it very well that forces had laid down their lives for the protection of country.
The chief justice told Raja Irshad to submit his statement before the Court on Friday in written form after which the order would be passed accordingly. The prisoners who went missing from the Adiala Jail after the Lahore High Court (LHC) had ordered their release included: Dr Niaz Ahmed, Mazhar-ul-Haq, Shafiqur Rehman, Muhammad Aamir, Abdul Majid, Abdul Basit, Abdul Saboor, Shafique Ahmed, Said Arab, Gul Roze and Tehseenullah.
The prisoners were acquitted by an Anti-Terrorism Court in April this year in four different cases, including rocket firing on the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, rocket firing on the plane of former president, suicide attack on the bus of personnel of an intelligence agency in Rawalpindi and the suicide attack on the main entrance of the Military Headquarters.
According to the above article, the three sons of the lady used to work in Urdu Bazar Lahore and they published Quran in Urdu, English, Farsi and Pashto. After Lal masjid operation they found some Quran there which were published by the company run by these three brothers, from that 'clue' they nabbed the brothers and their long and painful ordeal started.
^^^ Brother, do you really believe on Hamid Mir, a well know liar and propagandist? Only other journalist who can compete with Hamid Mir in lying and propaganda is Ansar Abbasi. Though there are few other journalists who occasionally lie and do propaganda, but these two are Kings of lies and propaganda amongst Journalism.
Anyhow, just think ... can you really believe that ISI, considered to be one of the best and most competent intelligence organisation in world, is so incompetent that they would pick up 3 kids (or even find them suspects of terrorism) just because these kids published ‘method of reading Quran’ that they sell commercially, and their sold materials are found by ISI with some terrorist?
I think that believing such propaganda is demeaning our own intelligence.
In 2011 the military had told the SC that they will carry out civilian court martial against these people, why was that not done during the past one year?
Anyhow, just think ... can you really believe that ISI, considered to be one of the best and most competent intelligence organisation in world, is so incompetent that they would pick up 3 kids just because these kids published ‘method of reading Quran’ that they sell commercially, and their sold materials are found by ISI with some terrorist?
I think that believing such propaganda is demeaning our own intelligence.
I wish.. and probably your are absolutely right about them..
Now would you care to answer the question our PM asked in the Parliament that "who gave Osama Bin Laden the Visa to stay here"...
Judicial Commission on Saleem Shehzad Murder Case Not
Correct**
A spokesman of ISPR said that the press release issued by HRW New York on January 30[SUP]th[/SUP], 2012 has been found to be extremely derogatory, biased and contradictory in terms. In one stroke Mr Brad Adams has discredited the Judicial Commission that investigated Saleem Shehzad’s alleged murder, demonized the ISI and castigated the Government of Pakistan, going on to suggest a darker destination of evidence if pursued again. It is unclear where Mr Adams forms opinions like these from but one thing is evident that his thought process and ability to logically analyze a given situation suffers from serious bias.
The spokesman added that the Judicial Commission in question was headed by a very honourable Judge of the same Supreme Court of Pakistan which is highly respected for its integrity and courage of conviction. It is not without reason that the Supreme Court of Pakistan is the guarantor of the rule of law and the architect of constitutional future of our country. To expect the Judicial Commission probing Saleem Shehzad’s alleged murder headed by Honourable Justice Saqib Nisar, to spare or shy away form the so called ‘culpable ISI’ is not only disrespectful but also out of character of the Honourable Court. HRW should visit the Supreme Court website to see what kind of historic and hitherto unheard of court actions have been initiated by the apex court regarding ISI / intelligence agencies and the unprecedented obedience /compliance they have readily commanded.
Spokesman further said that Brad Adams may have his head buried deep in sand and HRW may be choking under heaps of bias but it is quite apparent that such diatribe is exceptionally disparaging despite an ‘ extensive examination -------‘ by the Commission, to quote HRW press release. It raises serious questions on the partisan nature of HRW and Brad Adam’s objectivity.
Spokesman said we would seriously urge HRW to read the Report of the Commission of Enquiry into the incident and see facts as they are. Some relevant reference can be found in the statement of Saleem Shehzad’s very close friend Mr Zafar Mehmood Sheikh (CW 12) on pages 30 to 35, Judicial Commission’s remarks about ISI’s compliance and detailed testimony on pages 58, 59 and 66 (Admiral Adnan Nazir’s, testimony before the Commission), regarding none of the witnesses / documents being able to ‘point a finger towards anyone’ on page 86 and about the unsubstantiated accusations of heavy handedness against journalists and the Commission’s remarks on page 89.
Any involvement of ISI in Mr Saleem Sehzad’s alleged murder is categorically denied.
It is maintained that:-
a. The allegations levelled against ISI are baseless ab-initio. They are untenable both by evidence and logic.
b. Judicial Commission probing murder case had complete freedom of action and ISI spared no effort to cooperate and comply with all their requirements.
c. The press release in question is part of a well orchestrated and sinister media campaign, in which, HRW and the likes of Brad Adams and Ali Dayan Hassan may have been unwittingly drawn into.
d. With this press release, HRW appears to have seriously jeopardized the bipartisan and objective nature of its work.
**It will be in fitness of things to expect HRW to withdraw this biased statement, Spokesman concluded.
**
I wish.. and probably your are absolutely right about them..
Now would you care to answer the question our PM asked in the Parliament that "who gave Osama Bin Laden the Visa to stay here"...
First thing to do is to ask Prime Minister that if he thinks OBL was in Pakistan on visa, then PM should also tell that on what Passport OBL travels (because Saudi Arabia cancelled OBL citizenship and was not issuing Passport to OBL. As or Afghanistan, they were treating him as guest and not citizen, so he could not be holding Afghan Passport)?
.........Thus, having no suitable witnesses, court must have cleared the attackers (or accused attackers). Anyhow, since army is convinced of accused involvement, and know that they (army) were attacked, army seeing that culprits got away free from court, is behaving in same way brothers of rape victim may act.
itni ghairat hoti tau OBL fiasco, GHQ attack ya mehraan air base key baad agar koi afsar khudkushi na kerta tau kam-az-kam asteefa tau zaroor dey daita.
First thing to do is to ask Prime Minister that if he thinks OBL was in Pakistan on visa, then PM should also tell that on what Passport OBL travels (because Saudi Arabia cancelled OBL citizenship and was not issuing Passport to OBL. As or Afghanistan, they were treating him as guest and not citizen, so he could not be holding Afghan Passport)?
He is just a bloody Civilian who is a threat to national security. He can not be trusted..
The world's best intelligence agency who are the saviors of the last Islamic fort in the world have issued all the passports and visas.. please ask your ex boss the illegal military general/president..
