Rai HAFEEZULLAH TARIQ vs DEPUTY MARTIAL LAW ADMINISTRATOR, SARGODHA AND Another
This matter arises from a civil petition for leave to appeal directed against an interim order passed by the Lahore High Court in a constitutional petition filed under Article 199 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973, challenging an apprehended preventive detention order issued under Martial Law Order 12. The core legal question concerned the propriety of the High Court's interim direction requiring the petitioner to surrender to the Deputy Registrar of the Court as a precondition for hearing the petition, which the petitioner alleged amounted to facilitating his custody by Martial Law authorities. The Supreme Court held that the interim order, properly interpreted as merely informing the Martial Law Headquarters of the petitioner's surrender, was not open to any exception and warranted no interference. The petition was accordingly dismissed, laying down the principle that interim procedural directions requiring surrender in preventive detention challenges, when interpreted as non-coercive informational notices, do not violate constitutional rights.
- Whether the High Court can require a petitioner seeking relief against preventive detention to surrender to the court's officer as an interim measure?
- Does an interim order directing a petitioner to surrender and informing Martial Law authorities amount to an unlawful delegation of custody?
- When will the Supreme Court interfere with an interim order passed by the High Court in constitutional jurisdiction?
- Article 199, Constitution of Pakistan 1973
ORDER
1. ANWARUL. HAQ, C. J.---This order will dispose of civil petition for leave to appeal bearing No. &99 of 1979, which is directed" against an interim order made by a learned Judge of the Lahore High Court on the 24th of October, 1979, in a petition moved by the petitioner under Article 199 of the Constitution to call in question his apprehended arrest under an order of preventive detention said to have been issued by the Martial Law authorities under Martial Law Order 12.
2. When the petition carne up for preliminary hearing before the learned Judge on the 24th of October, 1979, he passed the following order "Contends that after his release on 15-10-1979, the petitioner was ordered to be detained by the D. M. L. A., Sargodha on 16-10-1979 under C. M. L. O. 12. y It is contended that there is no material on the basis of which the petitioner could be ordered to be detained.
3. Notice to respondent No. 1 to produce the record within 7 days. .In the meanwhile the petitioner is directed to surrender to the Deputy Registrar (Judicial) of the Court, who will inform the Martial La Headquarters, Lahore of his having done so. To be heard on 30-10-1979."
4. It is stated that when the matter came up before the learned Judge on the 30th of October, 1979, he was informed that the petitioner had not surrendered to the Deputy Registrar (Judicial) of the High Court in terms of the preliminary order dated the 24th of October, 1979. In the circum--stances, the learned Judge adjourned the further hearing of the petition to the 6th of November, 1979, saying that the petition remained pending until his order of the 24th of October, 1979, is complied with. We are informed that when the matter came up again on the 6th of .November, 1979, it was adjourned to the 11th of November, 1979, for the same reason.
5. The main grievance of Mr. Bashir Zafar, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, is that the order of the 24th of October, 1979, made by the High Court, in fact, amounts to a direction to the Martial Law authorities B to come and take the petitioner into custody from the premises of the High Court. The learned Advocate-General appearing for the respondents, submits that this is not necessarily so as the order of the High Court in terms only states that the Martial Law Headquarters will be informed that the petitioner has surrendered to the Deputy Registrar (Judicial) of the High Court.
6. We feel that the order as interpreted by the learned Advocate-General is not open to any exception. In the circumstances, no justification is made out for our interference in the matter The petition is, accordingly, dismissed.
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