Rape accused get pre-arrest bail
LAHORE- Justice Khurshid Anwar Bhinder of the Lahore High Court has confirmed pre-arrest bail of an accused involved in a case of rape (Zina-bil-Jabar).
The judge directed accused Zeeshan Ali Butt of Shakargarh, Narowal, to furnish bail bonds worth Rs 50,000 with two sureties in the same amount each to the satisfaction of the trial court or the area magistrate.
The counsel for the accused pleaded that the case against his client was fabricated as evident from ten days delay in the registration of the FIR. Besides, he said, the medical examination of the allegedly kidnapped girl was conducted after two months of the occurrence of the incident.
The counsel said the girl had stated before a magistrate that neither had anyone abducted her nor committed zina-bil-jabr. He added there were no eyewitnesses to the incident, besides the girl was not recovered from the custody of his client.
Meanwhile, a state law officer opposed the bail application but conceded that there were contradictions in the statement of the girl. He added the investigation officer, after registration of the FIR on April 4, 2008, was still investigating the matter.
The judge observed that in the instant case, it was alleged that the girl was abducted from her residence in the presence of her mother and sisters. The judge further observed that the girl claimed that Butt subjected her to ìintercourseî in the presence of his mother and the rest of the family members. ìLogically speaking, narration of the abductee seems absolutely implausible because it is not practically possible for any one to commit Zina-bil-Jabar with anyone in the presence of the family members. It is not possible in our society and culture for anybody to commit Zina-bil-Jabar in the presence of his sisters and mother at his house,î the judge said.
The judge also agreed with the arguments of the counsel for the accused while confirming the pre-arrest bail he had earlier granted on May 23, 2008.
Price-hike challenged in court: THE Watan Party Pakistan, through a constitutional petition before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, has challenged the uncontrollable increase in prices and non-availability of consumer goods in the country.
The petition has been moved by party’s president (Punjab Chapter) through counsel Barrister Zafarullah Khan submitting that the government has failed to control the prices and supply of basic necessity of life which is its fundamental responsibility. Petitioner said the government had also failed to overcome the power crisis and to eradicate unemployment from the country.
Petitioner further stated that the concept of social justice and eradication of social evils and promotion of social and economic well being of the people were enshrined in the constitution, and preamble of the constitution of Pakistan was to be read with all the fundamental rights.
Making party the federation of Pakistan through secretary cabinet and ministry of water & power, the petitioner has prayed to the court that the violation of fundamental rights be stopped forthwith and the respondents be directed to subsidize the necessity of life and control the uncontrollable increasing prices of consumer goods and their availability.
NAB asked not to harass Double Shah’s son, daughter: A Division Bench of the Lahore High Court has directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Punjab not to harass the son and daughter of Sibt-ul-Hassan alias Double Shah.
The bench also sought NAB’s reply till August 13.
The bench passed this order on a petition of Riffat Gillani and Wajid Gillani, both students. Petitioner’s counsel Aftab Ahmad Bajwa submitted that the NAB officials were conducting frequent raids to arrest them when they were not involved in any case. The counsel said the children were not nominated in any FIR and no witness against their father, Double Shah, had been given.
Mr. Bajwa argued that the NAB was trying to blackmail them to withdraw the petition they had filed before the LHC wherein they had challenged their sister Iffat’s physical remand taken by the NAB.
The bench, comprising Justice Hasnaat Ahmed Khan and Justice Ashraf Bhatti, directed the NAB not to arrest the petitioners without court’s order and produce complete case record before the court on August 13.
Source: The News
Date:8/8/2008
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