Police told to record statements of petitioners in missing persons’ cases

The Sindh High Court has directed police the SHOs of the Malir, Gulistan-e-Johar and Docks police to record statements of petitioners who have challenged enforced disappearances of four citizens, including three employees of a Chinese-based private shipping line company, in connection with a Chinese national’s murder case, and to register an FIR if a cognizable offence has been made out.

The court was hearing the petitions of Rafiq Khan, Hasim and Shakil Ahmed against the alleged enforced disappearances of the four citizens. The petitioners submitted that their sons, Amir Khan, Atif Khan, Rehan Hashim and Saqib Ahmed, were allegedly picked up by personnel of law enforcement agencies from Saadi Town and Gulistan-e-Johar on February 22 and 23 and their whereabouts were still unknown.

They said Amir, Rehan Hashim and Saqib Ahmed were working as chief marketing officer, finance manager and director of the COSCO shipping line firm whose managing director Chen Zhun was killed by unidentified persons in Clifton on February 4.

They further said that the detainees were picked up by personnel of law enforcement agencies after the murder incident, and expressed apprehension that their detentions may be linked with the case as per media reports.

They expressed apprehension about the lives of their sons and requested the court to direct the police and personnel of other law enforcement agencies to produce them before the court and provide details of cases against them if any.

The investigation officer of the case had earlier informed the court that Rehan Hashim and Saqib Ahmed were nominated as suspects in the murder case of the Chinese national and they had underground to avoid their arrest.

He submitted that two other missing persons, Amir and Atif Khan, were not arrested or detained by the police. A division bench headed by Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar directed the SHOs of Gulistan-e-Johar, Docks and Malir Cantonment to record the statements of petitioners and if a cognizable offence was made out and incorporate the same in a report under Section 154 of the CrPC. The court also directed the Rangers counsel to file comments at the next hearing.

Meanwhile, the court also directed the Sindh police chief, federal and provincial law officers and others to file comments on the petitions against the detention of citizens allegedly by personnel of law enforcement agencies.

Qari Abdul Khalique and Mohammad Siddique submitted that police and personnel of law enforcement agencies picked up Osama, Abdul Basit, Abdul Malik and Mohammad Sheraz from Ahsanabad and Kaneez Fatima Society and their whereabouts were unknown.

They submitted that neither police were disclosing the whereabouts of the detainees nor were they being produced before any court of law. The court was requested to direct the police and other law enforcement agencies to produce the detainees before the court and provide details of cases if any against them.