HC dismisses writ challenging International Crimes Act
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High Court dismissed a writ petition challenging the validity of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act.
Justice Khizir Ahmed Choudhury and Justice Md Ziaul Haque passed the order on Tuesday.
Earlier, on 7 June, Supreme Court lawyer Muhammad Mohsin Rashid filed the writ. The petition described the 1973 Act as “obsolete,” “ineffective,” and a “tool for suppressing political opponents,” and sought directives for the government to take measures to repeal it.
The writ named two secretaries from the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs as defendants.
The petition said the 1973 Act was enacted with jurisdiction over a specific period to prosecute crimes committed by the Pakistani military during the 1971 Liberation War. Its primary objective was to ensure the trial of those who collaborated with the Pakistani forces during the war.
However, the writ argued that following the Simla Agreement and the Tripartite Delhi Agreement, all prisoners of war were unconditionally repatriated, which effectively ended the prospect of trials under this law at that time.
The writ claimed that the defunct law was revived in 2009 for political motives and used to eliminate political rivals through “judicial killings” by targeting leaders of the then-opposition.
