Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Ashtar Ausaf Ali on Monday assured the Islamabad High Court that the judicial commission to probe into the arrest of former human rights minister Shireen Mazari will be constituted today (May 30).
Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the case pertaining to Mazari’s arrest and the formation of a judicial commission to probe into it. PTI leader Shireen Mazari and the petitioner Imaan Mazari also attended the hearing.
During the hearing on May 21-22 during the ‘anomalous’ opening of the high court around midnight to hear the case, the court had instructed the government to constitute a judicial commission by May 25 to investigate the incident. However, it has not been formed yet.
During today’s hearing, AGP assured the bench that the judicial commission is likely to be constituted today (May 30) as the summary in this connection has been forwarded to the related officials.
Following this assurance, the court adjourned the case till June 16.
‘Kidnapping’ being labeled as ‘arrest’
Speaking outside the court after the hearing, Mazari said they would see the formation of the commission, if it is independent, once it is constituted, adding that the incident is being labeled as ‘arrest’ although it was ‘kidnapping’.
She reiterated that it was an enforced disappearance attempt not arrest and said that they would bring all facts before the commission on their turn.
The former minister said the attempt raised many questions such as the anti-corruption department did not use the official vehicle but private vehicles with Islamabad registration number neither they had the arrest warrants.
Enlisting her queries, she said they would put questions before the commission such as, “Who was the person in plain clothes who seized her phone and beat her driver and took away her car?”
Mazari said that they would fully cooperate with the commission.
Govt forms committee on enforced disappearances
Meanwhile, the federal government on Monday approved the formation of a seven-member committee to deliberate a policy relating to enforced disappearances.
The committee comprising federal ministers includes Azam Nazeer Tarar, Rana Sana Ullah, Asad Mahmood, Muhammad Israr Tareen, Faisal Ali Subzwari, and Agha Hassan Baloch.
The notification read that the committee may co-opt eminent jurists, representatives of human rights organizations, and any other member that it deems appropriate. The report compiled by the committee would be submitted to the federal cabinet for deliberation.
