Karachi: Judges hearing a petition by a Pakistani provincial minister, concerning his health and security in custody, on Friday ordered officials to provide him the best possible medical care and secure his life.
This comes against the backdrop of witnesses being killed in this volatile city in the past.
The bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, comprising justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani and Justice Dost Mohammad Khosa was hearing the petition of Dr Asim, the chairman-cum-minister of the Higher Education Commission of Sindh province.
The petition challenged the Paramilitary Rangers’ decision to get Dr Hussain discharged from a state-run cardiac hospital, where he was seeking medical attention.
The minister was arrested in August and an anti terrorism court remanded him into Rangers custody for 90 days, to enable investigations into Dr Hussain’s alleged involvement in terrorism financing and massive corruption when he was the federal minister for petroleum and natural resources.
Abid Zuberi, Dr Hussain’s lawyer, told the apex court that his client was brought to National Institute of Cardio Vascular Diseases (NICVD) to get medical attention but he was discharged by Rangers doctors, although he had not recovered fully.
The Rangers’ doctor claimed that Dr Hussain was in good health but no written medical report was submitted by the Rangers to that effect.
The lawyer said Dr Hussain was still in poor health and should be readmitted to the NICVD.
Justice Usmani asked the lawyer whether he was sure that Dr Hussain’s life would be safe in hospital. The apex court justice further told the lawyer that he was fully aware of the poor law and order situation in the city.
Justice Usmani recalled the murders of witnesses in the cases of Sabeen Mahmoud, a human-rights activist, and Wali Babar, a journalist, who were killed one by one in different attacks. The judge said it should not happen to Dr Hussain as well.
Justice Khosa said the court had to strike a balance to see how Dr Hussain’s life could be secured while he also got proper medical treatment.
The Rangers in the written reply submitted to the court stated it was a wrong assertion that Dr Hussain was not being provided with medical facilities in the Rangers custody. The statement, submitted from Colon Amjad, of the paramilitary force, said the Rangers had all the required medical equipment, doctors, paramedical staff and other facilities which were being used to take care of Dr Hussain.
The apex court issued notices to the Rangers, interior ministry and other departments to appear in the court in the next hearing to be held on October 7.
The arrest of Dr Hussain is being of part of steps to tighten the noose around the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) amid the ongoing Karachi operation. The operation, which began in 2013, which officials say is meant to crack down on militants, contract killers, extortionists, gangsters and other criminal, has now shifted its focus to the gross financial corruption in the government offices and the ministries.
