SC human rights cell's proceedings not binding on high courts: IHC CJ.

Byline: Malik Asad

ISLAMABAD -- Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Athar Minallah on Thursday observed that the proceedings as well as correspondence of the Human Rights Cell (HRC) of the Supreme Court are not binding on high courts.

During the hearing of a case related to a land dispute between a British national of Pakistani origin woman and the owner of a real estate firm, Justice Minallah pointed out that the IHC had already passed an order related to the HRC proceedings.

The court during a hearing last month had referred the matter to the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF).

A legal adviser for the OPF on Thursday informed the court that they had contacted the complainant woman on June 25. On July 1, the community welfare attache in the UK also contacted her and heard her point of view.

'We have also perused the documents and as per an order sheet provided to us by the complainant herself, her case has been decided by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.'

When Justice Minallah asked him to produce the Supreme Court's order, the OPF counsel informed the court that it was a letter from the HRC.

Last year, an FIA investigation team, comprising additional director general Basharat Ahmed Shahzad, deputy director Kamran Ali and inspector Irfan Azim Burni, on the direction of the HRC of the Supreme Court had investigated the complaint filed by the woman.

In her complaint, she claimed that the incumbent owner of the real estate entity was his employee but in an alleged fraudulent manner he transferred her properties in his name. When she tried to retrieve the land, he threatened her.

According to the FIA report, the registrar of firms, Islamabad Capital Territory, transferred the properties in question in the name of the firm on photocopies instead of...