Islamabad torture case: remand of accused extended
An Islamabad court on Monday, July 12, granted a four-day extension to the physical remand of five accused in the sexual harassment of a couple. A sixth suspect was arrested that same day and is on judicial remand.
During proceedings, a public prosecutor told the court that the accused had made a video of the couple over the course of two-and-half hours all the while holding them at gunpoint. He said that both victims have recorded their statements under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.P.C) with the police.
The police requested the court to extend the accused’s remand in order to retrieve any additional video footage and laptops. They have managed to confiscate a gun and two mobile phones in possession of the prime suspect.
IHC questions absence of female member in CII
The Islamabad High Court has questioned the absence of a female member in the Council of Islamic Ideology and sought a written reply from its Chairman Qibla Ayaz within two weeks.
Lawyer Zainab Janjua told the court that the formation of a council sans a woman was against Article 228 of the Constitution, which mandates the inclusion of at least one female member.
Anti-journalist bill amended
The Punjab Assembly has amended a recently passed bill regarding the Privileges of Members Bill to remove anti-journalist clauses from it.
The earlier passed bill empowers the Speaker of the Assembly to form a judicial committee with powers of a First Class magistrate. The body, on the complaint of an MPA, may arrest a journalist without warrant from within the precincts of the assembly and hand down a jail term of up to six months and fine of up to Rs10,000 for breach of any privilege mentioned in a schedule inserted into the Privileges Act II of 1972.
Prominent journalists’ bodies including the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors and the All Pakistan Newspapers Society, have denounced the legislation as a black law. They have demanded that the Punjab Governor not assent to the bill and send it back to the Punjab Assembly for reconsideration.