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Pak judge refuses to re-issue notice to US on ex-Guantanamo prisoner`s appeal

IRNA

Islamabad, Dec 19, IRNA - A Pakistani judge on Thursday refused to 
reissue notices to US authorities in open court on appeal from a 
former Pakistani prisoner in Guantanamo Bay Mohammed Sagheer, in which
he has sought $10.4 million in compensation, his lawyer Mudasar Ikram 
said. 
The lawyer argued before the judge was bound to issue notices to 
US government as he had already accepted the suit for compensation. 
The Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Arshad Ali, however doubted about his 
jurisdiction. 
No lawyer was present in the court to represent the US and 
Pakistani governments, both are parties in the case. Mudasar said the 
court told him that it would pass any order in this case after its 
examination. 
Sagheer was freed from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, last November -- the 
first Pakistani released from the prison currently holding about 600 
inmates. 
His legal notice, sent by Pakistani lawyer Mohammed Ikram Chaudhry
through Civil Judge Mohammad Arashad Ali, to the US Assistant 
Secretary of State, US Defence Secretary, US Secretary Law and 
Pakistan Secretary Interior. 
They had been asked by the court to respond through their 
representatives on December 18. 
"I had no option but to sue the American government as my illegal 
detention has caused sufferings for my family and I have lost 
everything and my business is destroyed," Sagheer told a news 
conference last month. 
Sagheer lawyer Chaudhry Ikram plans to file the case in Washington
as the circumstances arrive. "I will pursue the case till last." 
Sagheer said he was kept in a small cell in solitary confinement and 
being caged and was served alcohol-laced drinks, forbidden by his 
religion, Islam. 
Sagheer said he was arrested by Dostam militia men in Kunduz in 
November 2001 and was then shifted to Shiberghan prison in a 
container. Later American forces shifted him to Kandahar airport and 
then to Guantanamo in Cuba. 
He said US officials in Guantanamo promised to pay him equal to 
the salary of American soldiers but when he was brought to Pakistan he
received only dlrs 100. 
The notice said that for 10 months while in American custody at 
Guantanamo, Sagheer suffered mental shock, financial loss, physical 
victimization, estrangement and religious victimization. 
TK/TSH/211 
End