Was it an attempt on CJ’s life?

By Ansar Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: Was it an attempt on the life of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry or a mere goof-up by the Islamabad traffic police?

Supreme Court Registrar Dr Faqir Hussain says that what had happened to the chief justice and his family on Monday night was something “highly unusual” that needs to be thoroughly investigated.

However, lawyers’ leader and former spokesman for the chief justice during his days of unconstitutional depositions Athar Minallah smelled a rat. He believed that the people’s chief justice was making certain strong circles uncomfortable and added that the facts of the event did not lead to the conclusion that it was just an accident.

“The people’s chief justice obviously makes strong circles uncomfortable,” Athar Minallah said without explaining which “strong circles” he was referring to but added: “The facts (of the incident) do not lead to the conclusion that it was just an accident.”

Talking to The News, he said: “There seems to be more to it that ought to be investigated thoroughly.”

When approached, SSP Islamabad Tahir Alam said the incident is being thoroughly investigated and all the necessary details about the traffic police officials involved in the incident are being gathered. Without offering any comment whether it was a mere accident as a result of the police goof up or a conspiracy to target the chief justice, he said a joint investigation team has been constituted by the Interior Ministry on Tuesday to probe the matter.

Regional Police Officer Rawalpindi Muhammad Aslam Tareen, when contacted, said: “Nothing could be ruled out.” He was surprised that how a traffic police inspector could block the VIP route when already the Islamabad police were duly informed about the arrival of the chief justice.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and his family members narrowly escaped what could have been a serious accident when an Islamabad traffic police vehicle suddenly was found blocking the way of the VIP motorcade.

As a result, over six vehicles, including five those in the motorcade, collided with each other, some even overturned. A daughter of the chief justice got minor injury while Justice Iftikhar and other members of his family remained secure.

When the motorcade entered the capital from the toll plaza near the Golra interchange it found an Islamabad traffic police vehicle parked horizontally in the middle of the road. According to one version, after the pilot vehicle of the motorcade had passed, the interrupting police vehicle was parked horizontally. The other version is that the pilot vehicle had avoided collision and so did the CJ’s car while the other vehicles could not spot the police vehicle and smashed into it. However, the fact remains that the police vehicle was blocking the VIP route.

Supreme Court Registrar Dr Faqir Hussain, when contacted, sounded worried about the accident but he was cautious in his response. He said that the police need to tell if it was an accident apparently on account of the negligence of the traffic police or something else.

He, however, said: “This is something highly unusual.” Dr Faqir, who was not willing to pre-judge the event, said the matter has to be thoroughly investigated to get to the truth.

After his restoration and for the kind of cases he is taking up and judgment handing down, the life of Justice Iftikhar is believed to be under threat from certain powerful quarters. Iftikhar Chaudhry, who had made many enemies from amongst the powerful elite of the country before Nov 3, 2007 by siding with the poor and downtrodden of the country and got deposed by Musharraf, is still making more enemies from the powerful elite. The Supreme Court’s decision to knock down the NRO has shocked many, whereas he has also taken up innumerable cases of corruption, loot and plunder of state’s wealth by a selected few.

Besides taking up the Bank of Punjab issue that involved Rs9 billion and exposed several powerful, the chief justice also took suo moto notice of the sale of the state-land in Karachi and Sindh on throwaway prices. The present Supreme Court had also cleansed the superior judiciary from over 100 PCO judges and others appointed on Dogar’s recommendations after Nov 3, 2007.

Some “top” lawyers of the country, who had multiplied their fortunes during the Dogar tenure, are also upset because of the corruption allegations levelled against them by some accused or petitioners.

Our correspondent adds: The office of the Attorney General for Pakistan on Tuesday directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad to thoroughly investigate the accident of motorcade of the chief justice of Pakistan and submit a report in this regard.

The motorcade of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry met an accident near the Islamabad motorway the other day.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was on his way to Islamabad from Lahore via motorway and the accident took place when his motorcade was hit by another vehicle coming from the opposite side immediately after leaving the Islamabad motorway, due to which vehicles of the caravan collided with each other - however fortunately, the chief justice and his family members did not sustain any injuries.

After the incident, Acting Attorney General for Pakistan Shah Khawar met Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and enquired about the whole incident.

“I have directed IGP Islamabad Syed Kaleem Imam to thoroughly investigate the matter, identifying the person whose negligence caused the incident to take place,” Shah Khawar told The News.

He said he has directed the IGP to evolve a new security plan after consultation with the chief justice of Pakistan and his office staff to avoid any untoward incident in future.

The acting attorney general directed the IGP to award stern punishment to the people held responsible for the incident and further directed to submit a progress report of the enquiry

Meanwhile, it was learnt that an investigation committee has been set up after the chief justice of Pakistan’s (CJP) motorcade met an accident. Two traffic policemen have reportedly been arrested, an in-charge inspector suspended and show-cause notice to the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) concerned has been issued. The injured were shifted to various hospitals and provided medical treatment.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry visited PIMS and Polyclinic hospitals and enquired after the health of his staff members injured in the accident.