Staff Reporter:
The Balochistan High Court on Tuesday heard a contempt petition filed over the government’s failure to remove Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal’s name from the no-fly list despite earlier court orders. After detailed arguments presented by Advocate Sajid Tareen, the court directed the Federal Secretary Interior and the Director General of the FIA to submit their affidavits by next Monday.
The bench made it clear that if the court’s directives are not implemented by Monday and Akhtar Mengal’s name is not removed from the no-fly list, contempt of court proceedings will be initiated against both senior officials.
Advocates Agha Hassan Baloch, Jamil Ramzan, and several others were also present during the proceedings. The case was heard by a division bench comprising Justice Gul Hasan Tareen and Justice Sardar Ahmed Halimi.
Speaking to the media after the hearing, Advocate Sajid Tareen said that such tactics cannot silence the party leadership or deter them from raising their voice against injustice. He added that if state institutions fail to honour judicial orders, “one may ask whether this is the rule of law or the rule of the jungle.” He vowed that the struggle against injustice would continue inside and outside the courts.
