Haji Abdul Khan had requested the court to register an FIR against two US officials (Representational)
Islamabad:
A court in Pakistan on Monday ordered restoration of an FIR against a former CIA station chief for his alleged role in killing civilians in the country's tribal region in a drone attack, officials said.
Islamabad High Court judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui issued the directives during a hearing of a case against former CIA station chief Jonathan Banks and his legal adviser John A Rizzo.
Haji Abdul Karim Khan, a native of Mirali area of North Waziristan, had requested the court to register an FIR against the two US officials after his son, brother and several other civilians were killed in a drone attack on December 31, 2009.
Justice Siddiqui reprimanded police for suspending the original FIR registered in 2015 and the concerned Station House Officer accepted the mistake and issued an unconditional apology.
Mr Khan initially approached authorities for registration of case in 2010 but it was not done until in 2015. However, the FIR was closed last year by police with observation that the case did not fall within its jurisdiction.
"The CIA station chief planned the drone strike while sitting at an office in Islamabad. The city falls under our jurisdiction. An FIR can be filed against him in this regard," the judge said as he ordered police to restore the FIR.
He rejected legal reservations that the attack took place in tribal region which is out of jurisdiction of Islamabad police.
Earlier, the Islamabad High Court had ordered police in 2015 to register the FIR after an order of 2014 was not complied by the police.
The US had pulled out the two officials from Islamabad after their cover was blown away due to allegations by Mr Khan.
Islamabad High Court judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui issued the directives during a hearing of a case against former CIA station chief Jonathan Banks and his legal adviser John A Rizzo.
Haji Abdul Karim Khan, a native of Mirali area of North Waziristan, had requested the court to register an FIR against the two US officials after his son, brother and several other civilians were killed in a drone attack on December 31, 2009.
Justice Siddiqui reprimanded police for suspending the original FIR registered in 2015 and the concerned Station House Officer accepted the mistake and issued an unconditional apology.
Mr Khan initially approached authorities for registration of case in 2010 but it was not done until in 2015. However, the FIR was closed last year by police with observation that the case did not fall within its jurisdiction.
"The CIA station chief planned the drone strike while sitting at an office in Islamabad. The city falls under our jurisdiction. An FIR can be filed against him in this regard," the judge said as he ordered police to restore the FIR.
He rejected legal reservations that the attack took place in tribal region which is out of jurisdiction of Islamabad police.
Earlier, the Islamabad High Court had ordered police in 2015 to register the FIR after an order of 2014 was not complied by the police.
The US had pulled out the two officials from Islamabad after their cover was blown away due to allegations by Mr Khan.
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