LAHORE: Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday issued notices on a petition filed by the Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) challenging judicial inquiry being conducted into doctors-journalists’ clash at Jinnah Hospital.

The judge directed an additional advocate-general to seek instructions from the Punjab home secretary and appear before court on Thursday (tomorrow). The judge, however, turned down a plea by the petitioner’s counsel to stay the inquiry proceedings.

PUJ President Rai Hasnain Tahir through counsel Aftab Ahmad Bajwa said Dr Javed Akram, Jinnah Hospital in-charge and Allama Iqbal Medical College principal, with more than 50 doctors armed with clubs and other weapons attacked journalists for highlighting the doctors’ negligence in death of a woman on March 31. The doctors not only tortured the journalists, but also snatched cameras and other equipment from the media personnel.

He said the Punjab government, through the home secretary, ordered a judicial inquiry into the matter and appointed Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Masood Arshad as inquiry officer.

The petitioner said he along with some other journalists appeared before the inquiry officer but the latter flatly refused any assistance from any lawyer. He said he and his colleagues requested the judge to let them bring their lawyers so that they could cross-examine the doctors according to the Section 5 (4) (5) of the West Pakistan Tribunals and Inquiries Ordinance, 1969.

But, he said, the judge refused to allow them engage their lawyers or to cross-examine the statements of the witnesses.

He said the act of the inquiry officer showed that he was being pressurised by political quarters into favouring Dr Akram.

He asked the court to direct the inquiry officer to allow the journalists to engage lawyers and give them copies of the statements which he was not giving.

He also prayed that the inquiry be transferred to any other independent, honest and impartial judicial officer.
Source: Dawn
Date:4/7/2010