LAHORE: The Lahore High Court chief justice on Tuesday adjourned hearing of an application praying to keep pending adjudication in several petitions against possible extradition of 12 Afghan Taliban, arrested from different parts of Pakistan.

Advocate Tariq Asad filed the application stating that his client, petitioner Khalid Khwaja, head of Defence Human Rights Commission, had been killed allegedly by a group of Taliban but he (the lawyer) wanted to contest the petitions himself.

At this the chief justice advised the lawyer to remain careful about his life considering what happened to his client and adjourned further hearing till May 11.

On last hearing, when Mr Khalid Khwaja was alive in custody of alleged Taliban, the counsel had filed an application to withdraw the petitions.

Reportedly, the kidnappers had linked the safe release of Khalid Khwaja to the withdrawal of all the petitions pending in the LHC pertaining to the arrested Taliban.

Khalid Khwaja had challenged the possible extradition of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Mullah Abdul Salam, Maulvi Kabir, Mullah Muhammad, Ameer Muawiya, Tayyab Agha, Hakeemuddin Mehsood, Mullah Tayyab Popalzai, Abdul Qayum Zakir, Mohtasim Agha Jan and others.

He had requested the court to restrain the government from handing over the detainees to the US or any other foreign country.
Source: Dawn
Date:5/5/2010