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.