| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| Pakistan has yet to declare Qaeda a terrorist outfit |
| 2003-03-27 |
| The Supreme Court of Pakistan has held that the country lacks a law declaring Al Qaeda a terrorist organization, and no one could not be detained simply for having links with the organization. "Nope. Nope. Can't do it. Nope." The Supreme Court made the observation in its detailed judgement on the federal governmentâs appeal against the Lahore High Courtâs order of releasing three of the five Khawajas taken into custody from Lahore during an FBI operation. "Nope. Nope. Gotta let 'em go." In the wake of short order of the SC last month, the government had released Dr Umar Karar Khawaja, Dr Khazar Ali and Hafiz Muhammad Usman, while an appeal against the continued detention of elderly Khawajas has recently been filed in the SC. In its detailed judgement, the SC categorically blasted the governmentâs petition, calling it devoid of merit. The court also said the evidence produced was utterly untenable for detaining the Khawajas. Senior advocate Hamid Khan and Pervez Inayat Malik represented the Khawajas. âWe have carefully examined the contentions as agitated on behalf of both the parties in the light of relevant provision of Constitution, Security of Pakistan Act 1953 and judicial precedence,â the two-members Supreme Court bench said. "This is Pakistan. There ain't no daggone law against being an international terrorist organization. Hell, if we had one, we wouldn't have any exports!" |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |