Pak SC warns Intelligence agencies not to consider themselves above law

Islamabad, Mar 2 (ANI): The Pakistan Supreme Court has expressed dissatisfaction over the replies submitted by the intelligence agencies in Adiala Jail missing prisoners' case, warning the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) that they should not consider themselves superior to the civilians and work under the law of the land.

The court also said that there is a common perception that agencies are involved in abduction and extra-judicial killings in Balochistan, The Nation reports.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heading a three-member bench hearing a petition filed by Rohaifa, the mother of three of the prisoners said they were surprised to read the report of the intelligence agencies.

The chief justice said the replies does not justify under which law the civilians were picked up by agencies and kept in detention for more than a year.

"Who gave you the right to hound people?" the CJP questioned, waring the MI and ISI counsel Raja Muhammad Irshad, to "Take this out of your mind that you (ISI and MI) are superior and others (civilians) are inferior."

Eleven missing persons were allegedly picked up by the agencies after their release from Adiala Jail. Out of them, four prisoners Muhammad Amir, Tahseenullah, Said Arab and Abdul Saboor died in the custody.

The CJP said that they were frightened to the see the condition of prisoners. The court should be informed which agencies kept them in their custody. If these people had attacked GHQ, even then it is necessary for you to produce evidence against them for fair trial. You must go by the book," Justice Chaudhry said.

He also said whatever the agencies do should be done within the limits of law as the agencies are not 'above the law'.

Justice Khilji said: "If a judge is bound not to break a traffic signal, then why will he allow you to subvert the constitution of the country." (ANI)