If we can summon PM, why not Punjab CM: SC

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry expressed his displeasure over the Punjab Police’s inefficiency in Sonia Naz rape case and said that if the Supreme Court (SC) could summon the prime minister, it can also summon the Punjab chief minister. A three-member bench – headed by the CJP – heard the suo motu case regarding the rape of the woman by Punjab Police officials in 2005. The bench reprimanded the Punjab Police officials for changing their stance over whereabouts of the accused (retired and serving officers). The CJP expressed his astonishment that former Faisalabad superintendent of police (SP) Ahmed Raza Tahir, against whom adverse findings were made in a judicial inquiry report, had been posted as the Lahore regional police officer (RPO). The bench told Additional Inspector General (AIG) Aslam Tareen, “It is an example of good governance of your province. He has been made RPO to confront the judiciary.” Tareen told the bench that the main accused former SP Abdullah Khalid was alive and had absconded. Later, the AIG told the court that the former SP was in Sheikhupura. Naz was produced before the bench. She told the court that she could not appear in the court as she was pressured by the accused, which led to a one-sided decision. According to media reports, on May 3, 2005, SP Khalid Abdullah and Inspector Jamshed Chishti along with two police constables had abducted Naz from her home in Johar Town and raped her. The accused were arrested in October 2005 after the CJP took a suo motu notice. The court adjourned the hearing until April 23.