PECA amendment ordinance declared null and voided by IHC
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has declared the PECA Amendment Ordinance null and voided.
The petitions against the PECA Amendment Ordinance were heard by the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court, Athar Minallah.
A report was submitted to the court by FIA on which Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that SOPs placed before the court and were also trampled. FIA violated SOPs and imposed those sections, which did not appear, those sections were imposed only to avoid court.
Chief Justice Islamabad High Court asked how this can be avoided? On which FIA Director Babar Bakht Qureshi said that the law has been made, and we have pressure to implement it.
Justice Athar Minallah asked, “Did you take action for a common man?” An FIR was registered in Lahore and a raid was carried out in Islamabad.
FIA Director Babar Bakht Qureshi told the court that we make arrests even before the FIR, then register an FIR on the recovery from it, on which the court asked how can you make an arrest before FIR? According to which law can arrest be made?
Chief Justice Islamabad High Court remarked that you do not regret your actions and are giving arguments, someone has to be held accountable, and who is responsible?
Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that journalists are being monitored, is this the job of FIA?
The FIA director said that the inquiry of all except Bilal Ghauri has been completed, on which the court asked that Bilal Ghauri had V-Logged and cited the book, how is the proceedings formed?
Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that it is history how many times martial law was imposed in the country, people will talk about it.
The Islamabad High Court, after hearing the arguments of the parties, reserved its verdict on the PECA Amendment Ordinance.
The court, in a brief ruling after Friday prayers, declared the PECA Ordinance unconstitutional.
