A petition was filed in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Saturday seeking contempt of court proceedings against several government and military officials, including the army chief, in the wake of the escape of former Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan from the custody of security agencies.
The plea was filed by Fazal Khan Advocate –president of Shuhada APS Forum—on the behalf of parents and family members of the children who were martyred in the terrorist attack targeting Peshawar’s Army Public School in Dec 2014.
It also names Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, federal and provincial secretaries, as respondents for flouting the PHC’s orders that restricted authorities from releasing Ehsan.
“Despite clear cut directions of this honourable court […], now it has come to light that [a] luxurious home [was provided to Ehsan] from which the terrorist has made his escape: a fact not denied by the respondents,” reads the petition.
“The petitioner has been informed through reliable sources that clemency was in order for Ehsanullah Ehsan for his ‘full and frank disclosure’ which is not only highly deplorable but also outrightly illegal and unconstitutional,” the writ petition said, adding that the respondents had earlier assured the court that Ehsan would be tried by a military court and would not be granted clemency.
The PHC had in April 2018 barred the release of Ehsan, asking the government to wait until the relevant court tries him to decide his fate. The restriction on his release came as the court heard a petition, also by the APS Shuhuda Forum, challenging an alleged government plan to grant clemency to Ehsan.
In the petition filed on Saturday, the APS martyrs’ parents claimed that the respondents had not taken any steps to bring Ehsan to justice even though he had confessed to the school massacre along with several other heinous crimes.
“[…] Unfortunately, the demeanour of the respondents in bringing the culprits to justice is well highlighted by the fact that […] not a single step has been taken by the respondents to bring the culprits to justice…”
The respondents, “through their inaction and omission have categorically flouted the orders of this court”, reads the petition.
“The conduct of the respondents is tantamount to contempt of court as even though ample time has passed, not only have they failed to do the needful but also the respondents have not even tried to abide by the directions of this honourable court and […] the respondents have not taken any steps to adhere to the judgment of this honourable court,” the petition says.
The petition added that Ehsan’s escape had raised fear in the hearts of parents as he was responsible for the Peshawar APS massacre and the families of those who lost their lives in the attack still awaited justice.
‘BREAKS FREE’:
On Friday, security officials had confirmed that Ehsanullah Ehsan had escaped from their custody during a “sensitive operation”.
Ehsan had earlier made the announcement regarding his escape in a video clip shared on the social media on Thursday.
Sources privy to the development said that Ehsan had voluntarily surrendered himself before the intelligence agencies on Feb 5, 2017. However, he started sharing sensitive information even before his arrest, they added.
After initial interrogation, Ehsan recorded his confessional statement on April 26, 2017. He revealed details pertaining to his handlers and facilitators during his captivity.
He shared extremely sensitive and important information during the interrogation, which led security forces to break Jamaatul Ahrar’s national and international terror networks, they said.
Several terrorists belonging to the proscribed outfit were also arrested as a result of intel provided by him, they added.
Ehsanullah was to be taken to book, but extracting information to take all ongoing anti-terrorism operations to their logical conclusion was necessary. “Some operations are still underway based on information shared by Ehsanullah,” said the sources, adding that during such an operation, he escaped from his captivity.
All terrorists and extremists, including Ehsanullah, would be taken to the task, said the sources.
‘SECURITY AGENCIES BROKE PROMISES’:
In the video, the TTP spokesperson said that he “surrendered” before the security forces and made a signed agreement that guaranteed certain rights to him.
However, the security forces allegedly didn’t keep the promises and subsequently detained his family as well.
“My name is Ehsan and I am former member of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Jamaatul Ahrar. On Feb 5, 2017, I handed myself into the hands of Pakistan’s security officials under an agreement and I kept that agreement on my part but I along with my family was detained by the security officials. We faced jail at least three years with patience but we made a plan to escape and finally, we successfully escaped on Jan 11, 2020,” the former spokesperson of the terrorist organisation claimed.
He also threatened the Pakistan Army that he would “disclose the details of the [alleged] agreement, its architect, and whatever transpired during his time in the jail”.
Ehsan went on to claim that he had escaped from custody on January 11, 2020, adding that he will “make clear” his future strategy after deciding it “soon”.
Former PPP senator Farhatullah Babar took to Twitter to voice his concern. “Reports that TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan fled from custody highly disturbing. One of the two explanations possible; Complicity or sheer incompetence. What about massacred APS children? Jailing HR defenders and freeing self confessed terrorists. Demand explanation,” he tweeted.
Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement leader and MNA Mohsin Dawar echoed Babar’s thoughts.
“Worrying news coming in that TTP’s Ehsanullah Ehsan has escaped. In no way can this be a result of incompetence. @OfficialDGISPR should confirm or deny this news. We demand a thorough investigation into this incident. No one is listening to our warnings about regrouping Taliban,” he tweeted.
In 2012, Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the gun attack on then 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai. She later went on to become the joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. She was shot for defying Taliban diktats and pursuing her education and highlighting atrocities of the militant outfit.
Ehsanullah is also a prime accused in the 2014 Army Public School (APS) Peshawar attack in which 134 school children and 15 staff members were killed.
He was also involved in the suicide bombing of Shiites in Rawalpindi and Karachi, killing nine foreign tourists and their guide in Gilgit-Baltistan area.
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