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Journalism of Courage
ISLAMABAD, Aug 25: A judge at newly established anti-terrorist court in Pakistan has resigned after it was disclosed that he was facing trial in a murder case, press reports said.
Judge Asghar Khan Rokari said he was implicated as having abetted a murder but that the charge was baseless. Rokari said he had been framed because he was the chief of his tribe.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government on Friday established eleven special courts in the violence-prone province of Punjab under the recently passed Anti-terrorist Act. Rokari was appointed to one of these courts which are being critised in various forums in Pakistan.
Political and human rights groups have criticised the law for allegedly giving vast powers to the security forces and for providing for the summary trial of the accused.
Reports said the judges of the special courts, who are required to decide a case within a week, are entitled to generous salaries with fringe benefits and will be assigned police commandos for their personal security.
The Anti-terrorism Act, holds the government, is aimed at preserving the right to life. “The most important human right is the right to life and we will not allow this right to be held hostage by the terrorist,” Minister for Information and Media Development, Mushahid Hussain, told reporters last evening.
Faced with widespread criticism and threats of agitations, the Minister’s statement seemed to make it clear that the government has no intention of withdrawing the controversial measure. which has been also opposed by the country’s human rights panel.
