IHC cancels hearing of case against Bajwa and Faiz Hameed. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has made a significant decision to cancel the hearing of a plea lodged against former Chief of Army Staff, General (r) Qamar Javed Bajwa, Intelligence Chief Lieutenant General (r) Faiz Hameed, and two prominent journalists.
This decision comes after Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court issued notices to these individuals in response to a petition that sought legal actions against them.
The case, initiated by citizen Atif Ali, alleged that the interview with ex-General Bajwa had been conducted in a “reckless” manner, and the journalists involved, Javed Chaudhry and Maitla, demonstrated a lack of responsibility in the publication of the interview.
The petitioner argued that the revelations made during these interviews constituted a violation of the Official Secrets Act, equating to incitement of mutiny and disharmony.
In the latest development, the Islamabad High Court opted to remove the case from its upcoming hearing schedule, a decision that has sparked discussions regarding the trajectory of this legal matter.
Reports suggest that Chief Justice Aamer Farooq was slated to preside over the petition filed by citizen Atif Ali later this week, alongside the earlier notices to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), General Retired Qamar Javed Bajwa, and Faiz Hameed.
However, the court, for reasons undisclosed, decided against proceeding with the case.
The petitioner, Atif Ali, contended that despite repeated requests, the FIA failed to take any action against the retired army officials, as outlined in the written order by the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court.
The petitioner expressed concern that the interviews conducted by Javed Chaudhry and Shahid Maitla were driven by a pursuit of ratings, lacking a sense of responsibility.
It was asserted that the freedom of expression had been exploited for what the petitioner characterized as a ‘criminal act’ in these modified interviews.
The petition further argued that these interviews portrayed a negative image of the armed forces and aimed to create a rift between the state and the masses.
As IHC cancels hearing of case against Bajwa and Faiz Hameed, the implications and future developments surrounding this case remain subjects of keen interest and scrutiny.
