SHC seeks details of JIT grilling Khalid Shamim

Karachi
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to submit a report regarding the constitution of a joint investigation team for a Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) accountant who was allegedly involved in the killing of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq.
The order came on a petition filed by Beena Khalid, the spouse of KWSB’s accountant Khalid Shamim believed to be one of the suspects involved in Dr Imran Farooq’s murder. She approached the court against his likely extradition from Pakistan to the UK for the purpose of interrogation.
Mrs Khalid submitted that her spouse had been taken into custody by the personnel of law-enforcement agencies from Malir Halt area on January 6, 2011.
She said she had come to know that the arrest of her husband had been declared to be from Chaman border and by Frontier Constabulary officials while his custody has been handed over to the FIA. She said federal government had constituted a joint investigation team to question her spouse and expressed the fear that his life was danger.
Referring to media reports regarding the alleged involvement of Khalid Shamim in the murder of MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq in London, the petitioner said her husband could be shifted outside the country for interrogation. The applicant said she would disclose further information later and pleaded to the court to restrain the relevant authorities from shifting her husband outside the country. The FIA’s legal officer Mirza Tanveer Ahmed sought two days’ time to file a proper report after obtaining instructions from the authorities concerned.
The SHC division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar directed the FIA officer to file a proper report regarding the constitution of JIT and adjourned the hearing till July 6.
It is pertinent to mention that the petitioner’s counsel, during pendency of the petition, had also informed the court that as per media reports, the petitioner’s spouse was taken into custody by the law-enforcement agencies at the Karachi airport in August 2011 along with other suspects in connection with the assassination of MQM leader Imran Farooq in London, while the LEAs were not disclosing the whereabouts of the detainee.
He had placed on record the transcript of news telecasts on electronic media suggesting that the petitioner’s husband was picked up by the federal law-enforcement agencies and he was still in their custody for the purpose of extracting certain sensitive information regarding his involvement in the crime committed in London.
Federal and provincial law-enforcement agencies, however, denied arresting or detaining Khalid Shamim and the police officers investigating the case said efforts were being made to recover the detainee and in this regard a joint investigation team had been set up to look into the matter.

Detention cases
The Sindh High Court also issued notices to federal and provincial law officers on a petition against illegal detention of businessman by the personnel of law-enforcement agencies.
Petitioner Abida Begum submitted that her spouse, Mohammad Ali Sheikh, a businessman and supporter of Pakistan People Party (PPP) who was proceedings to the US from Karachi airport, was picked up by the personnel of law-enforcement agencies on June 18 and his whereabouts were unknown. The petitioner’s counsel submitted that the police and law-enforcement agencies were not disclosing the whereabouts of the detainee and requested the court to direct them to present him in court and release him if not required in any case.
The court directed the government’s counsel to submit comments on behalf of law-enforcement agencies and police by July 9.
The court also directed the deputy attorney general, additional advocate general and others and issued notices to IG Sindh, DG Rangers, Home Secretary and others on petitions against illegal detention of businessman along with his friend from DHA area.
Petitioners Hina Mohammad Sanaullah and Sharmeen Fawad submitted in their petitions their spouses, Sanaullah Habib and Fawad-ul-Haq, were picked up by Rangers personnel from their office situated in DHA Phase II area and their whereabouts were unknown.
They submitted that detainees are IT and communication professionals and had nothing to do with any criminal activities. They said Rangers personnel had raided the office of Sanaullah and picked up him with friend Fawad-ul-Haq without disclosing any reason for the arrest.
The court was requested to direct the respondents to produce the detainees and release them if not required in any cases.
The deputy attorney general and additional advocate general of Sindh sought time to file their comments on behalf of provincial government and Rangers. The court granted the request adjourned the hearing till July 16.