IGP, Rangers DG get notices on pleas against enforced disappearances

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday issued notices to the provincial police and Rangers chiefs among others on petitions against the enforced disappearances of citizens allegedly by personnel of the law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

Akram Shah, Naila Yousuf, Farhana, Munawar Malik, Shazia Rizwan, Fouzia Sharif and Manzoor Hussain claimed in their petitions that personnel of the LEAs had picked up Usman Shah, Irfan Khan, Rehan, Malik Mohammad Haris, Rizwan Chandna, Syed Ayaz Mehmood and Nisar Ali from PIB Colony, Orangi Town, FB Area, Saudabad, Taimuria and Sachal, and their whereabouts remain unknown.

They said police and personnel of other LEAs are not disclosing their whereabouts, and their family members are still unaware of the registration of any cases pending against them.

They expressed concerns for the lives of the detainees, saying that they should be produced before a court of law if they have been arrested in connection with a case.

They requested the court to direct the federal and provincial LEAs to provide details of any cases registered against the missing persons as well as their whereabouts.

After the preliminary hearing of the petitions, an SHC division bench headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers, the Sindh inspector general of police (IGP), the Sindh Rangers director general and others, telling them to file their comments.

Sealing of shops

The SHC also directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to explain why the municipal body’s shops situated along Hassan Ali Effendi Road have been sealed.

The direction came on the petition of the tenants of 41 shops who challenged their sealing by the KMC. Their counsel said they are paying monthly rent to the KMC, but despite that, the KMC authorities sealed their shops without providing them a reason.

They requested the court to direct the KMC to unseal the shops. The KMC’s counsel sought time to file comments on the petition. The court directed the counsel to explain the reasons for sealing the shops, and file comments on the next date of hearing.