Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday questioned Prime Minister Imran Khan. KHAN In the Army Public School massacre case, questioning his government to hold peace talks with the terrorist group that carried out the deadly attack on the Peshawar school in 2014, and ordered the PM to investigate the security lapses leading to the attack.
In December 2014, Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) terrorists stormed the school, killing a total of 147 people, 132 of them children. However, Khan’s government is currently in talks with the TTP and has already announced a complete ceasefire with the banned outfit as part of the reconciliation process.
In a rare move, Khan appeared before the court on the orders of a three-judge SC bench headed by the Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed,
With regard to media reports regarding talks with TTP, the bench asked whether “we (TTP) are bringing them (TTPs) back to the negotiating table instead of taking action against them?”
“Are we going to surrender once again?” one of the judges, justice Qazi Mohammad Amin, asked the PM.
Khan was asked to explain his government’s action against the officials involved in the security of the school. He replied that he was not the PM of the country when the attack took place. This prompted the Chief Justice to ask him what his government has done in the last three years to redress the grievances of the families of the victims. “You issue orders and we will take action,” Khan told the bench. He said that compensation has been given to the families of the victims. To this the CJI remarked that the parents want their children and not compensation. The court informed the PM that the parents of the victims wanted action against the officials who were posted at high posts at the time of the attack.
At one point, the debate over fixing responsibility heated up when Khan told the court: “Find out why 80,000 people were killed. Also find out who is responsible for the 480 drone strikes in Pakistan.”
The Chief Justice replied: “It is your job to find out about these things, you are the Prime Minister. As the Prime Minister, you must have the answers to these questions.”
During the hearing, the bench asked the federal government to hear the stand of the parents of the victims, saying that action should be taken against the one whose negligence is proved. The top court also directed the government to submit a report signed by the Prime Minister in this regard in four weeks.
The Supreme Court order came after years of protests from parents and relatives of children who lost their loved ones in the attack. The families are also opposing the government’s efforts to strike a peace deal with the TTP.
Khan’s appearance is the first time since 2012 that a sitting prime minister has been asked to appear in the apex court. Raja Parvez AshrafiThe then Prime Minister of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was asked to appear in connection with the corruption investigation against the former President. Asif Ali Zardari,
Khan’s questioning by the top court came days after his government surrendered to the far-right Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which was behind anti-French protests over the publication of the caricature. Prophet Muhammad there last year. The TLP is believed to have been secretly backed by the country’s powerful military establishment. The government-TLP clash was preceded by a tussle with Khan’s top military officials over the appointment of the country’s new ISI chief.
In December 2014, Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) terrorists stormed the school, killing a total of 147 people, 132 of them children. However, Khan’s government is currently in talks with the TTP and has already announced a complete ceasefire with the banned outfit as part of the reconciliation process.
In a rare move, Khan appeared before the court on the orders of a three-judge SC bench headed by the Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed,
With regard to media reports regarding talks with TTP, the bench asked whether “we (TTP) are bringing them (TTPs) back to the negotiating table instead of taking action against them?”
“Are we going to surrender once again?” one of the judges, justice Qazi Mohammad Amin, asked the PM.
Khan was asked to explain his government’s action against the officials involved in the security of the school. He replied that he was not the PM of the country when the attack took place. This prompted the Chief Justice to ask him what his government has done in the last three years to redress the grievances of the families of the victims. “You issue orders and we will take action,” Khan told the bench. He said that compensation has been given to the families of the victims. To this the CJI remarked that the parents want their children and not compensation. The court informed the PM that the parents of the victims wanted action against the officials who were posted at high posts at the time of the attack.
At one point, the debate over fixing responsibility heated up when Khan told the court: “Find out why 80,000 people were killed. Also find out who is responsible for the 480 drone strikes in Pakistan.”
The Chief Justice replied: “It is your job to find out about these things, you are the Prime Minister. As the Prime Minister, you must have the answers to these questions.”
During the hearing, the bench asked the federal government to hear the stand of the parents of the victims, saying that action should be taken against the one whose negligence is proved. The top court also directed the government to submit a report signed by the Prime Minister in this regard in four weeks.
The Supreme Court order came after years of protests from parents and relatives of children who lost their loved ones in the attack. The families are also opposing the government’s efforts to strike a peace deal with the TTP.
Khan’s appearance is the first time since 2012 that a sitting prime minister has been asked to appear in the apex court. Raja Parvez AshrafiThe then Prime Minister of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was asked to appear in connection with the corruption investigation against the former President. Asif Ali Zardari,
Khan’s questioning by the top court came days after his government surrendered to the far-right Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which was behind anti-French protests over the publication of the caricature. Prophet Muhammad there last year. The TLP is believed to have been secretly backed by the country’s powerful military establishment. The government-TLP clash was preceded by a tussle with Khan’s top military officials over the appointment of the country’s new ISI chief.
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