IHC issues notice to FO over attestation of judge's papers.

Byline: Malik Asad

ISLAMABAD -- The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Foreign Office and others on a petition seeking issuance of a directive to the Pakistani High Commission in the United Kingdom for attestation of documents related to alleged confessions of a former accountability court judge.

Hearing the petition filed by Nasir Butt, the main character in the judge's video scandal, Chief Justice Athar Minallah observed that the petitioner could not claim equal rights as he 'is avoiding legal proceedings'.

The bench said that if the petitioner intended to testify anything in court, he would be assured of protection in Pakistan.

Mr Butt has filed the petition against the first secretary and Pakistani high commissioner in the UK as well as the foreign secretary for not attesting the documents related to the alleged confessions by former accountability judge Mohammad Arshad Malik that he had convicted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif under duress.

The petitioner argued that despite his repeated visits to the Pakistani High CommisAsion, the relevant officials, especially First Secretary Didar Ali Abro, did not attest the documentary evidence which he had already submitted to the IHC.

On Oct 5, Mr Butt had submitted to the IHC notarised copies of the transcript of audio recording of his conversation with judge Malik, transcript of video-cum-audio recording of the conversation, affidavit, forensic reports of audio and video recordings and a USB containing copies of the original audio and video-cum-audio recordAings of the conversation.

Nasir Bhutta, the counsel for Mr...