Front Page   

Saeed case: federal government seeks short adjournment

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan federal government, one of the petitioners against the release of Hafiz Saeed in the Supreme Court, moved an application on Wednesday seeking a short adjournment of the hearing.

At the last hearing on Tuesday, the case was adjourned until Thursday, also the day when the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan are set to meet on the sidelines of the NAM summit in Egypt.

Hafiz Saeed is the leader of the Jamat-ud-dawa, a known front of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba, blamed for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. Pakistan placed him under house arrest in December 2008 but the Lahore High Court ordered his release in June.

The federal and Punjab provincial governments appealed against the release in the Supreme Court but at Tuesday’s hearing, the Punjab government announced an intention to withdraw its appeal, later changing its mind on this.

Both petitioners then sought an adjournment until July 16 when they were expected to announce a final decision on whether they would continue with the appeals.

Coming hours before the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries met to review what steps Pakistan had taken against the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks and against India-targeted terrorism emanating from its territory, the apparent rethink was not auspicious.

The fresh move by the government for adjournment ensures that the court proceedings will be safely put off at least until next week, out of the way of Thursday’s talks in Sharm-el-Sheikh.

But Deputy Attorney-General Shah Khawar, who submitted the written application for the adjournment, denied it had anything to do with the India-Pakistan talks.

“We want that the Attorney-General [Latif Khosa] himself should argue the case, but he is not in the city tomorrow, so we moved the application for a short adjournment,” Mr. Khawar told The Hindu.

He said the federal government was “very clear” that it would argue the appeal against Mr. Saeed’s release “until the very end,” and there would be no withdrawal from the case on its part. “These are also the Prime Minister’s instructions.”

He expressed confidence that the Punjab government too would likewise argue its appeal.

“Even yesterday [Tuesday], the Punjab advocate-general did not make any written submission seeking withdrawal. He only said it verbally. And later, he had a change of mind on what he had said,” Mr. Khawar said.

Stories in this Section

India, Pakistan positive on talks
Two-pronged approach to tackle naxalism
Delhi businessman held on charge of supplying equipment to naxalites
Charge sheet filed against Varun
India says financial crisis gives NAM new relevance
NAM energised by new discipline, purpose
Saeed case: federal government seeks short adjournment
Shopian: 4 police officials arrested
Monsoon vigorous in west, erratic in north
“No question of diluting reforms”
Nilekani to use database of government, oil firms
GJM bandh in Darjeeling enters third day
Mechanism to register students going abroad
Nuclear fuel arrives from Russia, France
Rs.1,000 crore to States for compensatory afforestation
Full-fledged IAF fighter base likely in Kayathar
Purulia CPI(M) leader shot dead
Congress team attacked at Mangalkot
168 killed in Iran plane crash
Colombo cancels arms import from China, Pakistan
Samsung to invest $20 m
Andrew Flintoff to quit after Ashes
Vikas Swarup gets diplomatic assignment
Royal Medal for C.N.R. Rao
Infosys Science Foundation announces juries
Bill to regulate fees in private schools soon
5 Sri Lankan fishermen held
Torrential rain throws life out of gear in several parts of State
Police get clues
Rain leaves a trail of destruction
State to host meet of Food Ministers
ABVP activists beat up teacher
Rain continues for third day in Mumbai
8 trapped in House lift, rescued
Swine flu scare leaves software sector in jitters
CBI to probe files case
Powerful quake off New Zealand
Four police officers arrested in Kashmir
Mecheri to get cold storage plant to store tomatoes
Anil Ambani forays into Hollywood
Rita Bahuguna detained

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu