No record of banned outfits available: SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the federal government to upload the details pertaining to terrorist outfits banned by the government on websites, adding that there was no such record and friendly countries should also be informed in this regard.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, heard the suo moto case on the errors in legal books and journals.The errors are found in different books on the Contract Act 1872, Manual of Intellectual Property Laws, Printing Ordinance 2000, Punjab Consumer Protection Laws, etc.
The court had recently sought an undertaking from the federal secretary law to give a deadline to ensure the uploading of all constitutional amendments, acts, ordinances, rules, regulations, bylaws and other statutory instruments on websites with translations in the national and local languages.
On Thursday, the court, while resuming the hearing, observed that the government should upload on the website details pertaining to those extremist outfits which are banned as the country was fighting a war against terrorism.
During the hearing, the court asked its staff to check the websites of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Interior. However, after checking these websites, nothing was found pertaining to details of banned terrorist outfits.
“How can we fight against terrorism when we don’t know about the amendments made in our laws?” Justice Jawwad remarked, adding that people don’t even know as to whether they are giving donations to organisations the government has banned or not.
Justice Jawwad further observed that the government was fighting against extremism so it should provide information so that the public could know about such terrorist outfits that were banned.
“How we can we eliminate terrorism and extremism when we don’t know as to which organisations have been banned by the government?” Justice Khawaja remarked, adding that the people don’t know about these organisations and its figures.
He observed that all the notifications were moved by the Law Ministry, hence it should upload them on its website. He further said that the list of banned outfits should be uploaded in all languages so that the people in the country as well as abroad should know as to which outfits were banned.
Justice Qazi Faez Isa, another member of the bench, observed that the government, while keeping in view the prevailing situation, should make public the amendments, made in the terrorism related laws in order to educate the public.
“Terrorism is an important issue these days and the government should also issue list of those organisations involved in terrorism to the media,” he added.The court directed Secretary Law Justice (retd) Muhammad Raza Khan to give an undertaking giving the deadline during the course of the day for completing the process, ensuring uploading of all constitutional amendments, acts, ordinances, rules, regulations, bylaws and other statutory instruments on websites with translation in national and local languages.
In pursuance of the court’s earlier order, the four provincial law secretaries appeared before the court and submitted details.Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing till January 28 ruling that Chief Justice of Pakistan will be requested to constitute a special bench.