Thaindian News

Lahore, Mar 31(ANI): The Lahore High Court has directed the federal and provincial governments of Pakistan to submit their replies by April 8 on a petition pertaining to the release and departure of double murder accused CIA contractor Raymond Davis.

On March 16- the same day when he was indicted for double murder- US national Davis was freed and quickly flown out of Pakistan after the heirs of his two victims told a local court that they had accepted blood money worth 200 million rupees, bringing the over one and a half month-long saga to an abrupt end.

In his petition, Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffery requested the LHC to seek an explanation from Federal Law Minister Babar Awan, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Additional district and sessions judge (ASJ) Mohammad Yousuf Ojla and others as to why they facilitated Davis in his acquittal and emergent departure despite the fact that his name was placed on the Exit Control List (ECL).

The petitioner also requested the court to obtain affidavits from the respondents on whether they had already been informed about Davis’ acquittal and his subsequent departure through a special plane, which was already waiting for him at the Lahore airport on March 16.

Barrister Jaffery also stated that the LHC had earlier directed the Interior Ministry to place Davis’ name on the ECL, and that the court was also assured by a law officer and the ministry that the order had been complied with, the Dawn reports.

He further said that the court order on the ECL was in place when Davis was released, as the LHC had neither suspended nor withdrawn its order, and nobody had even filed such an application on behalf of Davis.

Therefore, the government and its functionaries released Davis while ignoring the order of the LHC, through which his name was placed on the ECL, alleged the petitioner.

The federation’s lawyer requested the LHC to grant a three-week time to submit the government’s reply, following which the court adjourned the hearing until April 8. (ANI)