Arguments have concluded regarding three petitions filed in the case of Shaukat Nawaz Mir—a core member of the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee in Pakistan-administered Kashmir—following which the court has reserved its verdict.
The petitions were filed by Yasmeen Mir, the sister of Shaukat Nawaz Mir, with her counsel, Shahid Ali Awan, presenting arguments. The government was represented in court by the Additional Advocate General and the Assistant Advocate General.
According to Shahid Ali Awan, three petitions were submitted to the court. The first petition asserts that Shaukat Nawaz Mir was arrested in the presence of the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Dhirkot Police Station.
Yasmeen Mir’s counsel stated that a video circulating on social media shows Shaukat Nawaz Mir being taken away in the presence of the SHO and other police personnel.
He explained that, on this basis, the court was requested to summon the SHO of the Dhirkot Police Station to provide an explanation regarding the incident shown in the video—specifically, whether or not Shaukat Nawaz Mir had been arrested by the police.
According to the counsel, the second petition sought the court’s permission to include material stored on a USB drive into the judicial record. He stated that the USB contains a video of Shaukat Nawaz Mir’s alleged arrest, as well as a statement by the then-Law Minister, Mian Abdul Waheed, in which he justified the operation to arrest Shaukat Nawaz Mir in Dhirkot.
Shahid Ali Awan noted that if the court grants permission to include the video evidence in the record, a request will also be made for a forensic examination of the footage. Lawyers from the Advocate General’s office, representing the government, raised objections to these petitions; however, according to Shahid Ali Awan, the court rejected these objections.
Shahid Ali Awan stated that a third petition, submitted to the High Court, requests that Gul Nawaz Mir—the brother of Yasmeen Mir—also be included as a petitioner in the case.
He further mentioned that arguments on all three petitions concluded today, and the court has reserved its verdict. According to him, the next date for the proceedings has been set for Friday.
According to a report published on the BBC website late last month, the Advocate General, representing the Kashmir government, argued in court that Shaukat Nawaz Mir is not currently in state custody. Furthermore, the government maintains that he is a fugitive and has gone into hiding due to pending legal cases.
Share this content:
