Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan arrived at the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) to appear before the apex court’s bench today (Wednesday) after he was summoned to attend a hearing of the Army Public School (APS) massacre, reports Geo News.
The apex court summoned the prime minister to appear before the bench when the hearing resumed at 11:30am, in his personal capacity.
During the previous hearing of the case, parents of the children martyred in the 2014 terrorist attack had complained to the court that they had lost their children in the incident hence the top civil and military leadership of the country should be summoned by the Supreme Court.
During the hearing, the attorney-general sought time from the court to seek directives from the premier and other officials so he can respond to the court.
However, the bench said this was a very serious case and that it would summon the prime minister and seek answers from him.
The attorney-general asked for further time for the prime minister to appear before the court. However, the bench expressed anger at his request and said the parents of the victims of the APS massacre are also in court.
During the hearing, the issue of the government holding talks with the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was also mentioned.
Justice Qazi Amin remarked that there are reports that the government is holding negotiations with a group and added, “Is it not the responsibility of the state to identify the real culprits [behind the APS tragedy] and nab them?”
Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed intervened and said we cannot leave the children alone to die.
