Missing IT expert a case of ‘enforced disappearance’, IHC told

ISLAMABAD: SSP (Investigation) of the Islamabad police, Capt (R) Ilyas who heads the Joint-Investigation Team (JIT) in the case of missing IT expert Sajid Mehmood here Friday submitted a report before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) saying that this is a case of ‘enforced disappearance’.

IHC bench comprising Justice Athar Minallah expressed satisfaction over the investigation in this matter. The bench noted in the judgment: “However, since JIT consisting of representatives of all the relevant state organs has submitted a report to the effect that in their opinion, probably it is a case of enforced disappearance , therefore it would be appropriate to give some more time to the JIT”.

IHC bench further noted: “This court expects that the JIT shall ensure that the citizen who is alleged to have been missing since a considerable time would be recovered before the next date fixed.”

The SSP told the court that the same report has been submitted to the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances that issued notices to the security agencies seeking reply.

It is to mention here that the wife of Sajid Mehmood, Mahera Sajid, had filed a petition in IHC in August 2016 for recovery of her husband. With continuous insistence from the court to know the whereabouts of missing man, state agencies were denying of any knowledge since then.

In November last year in response to the federal government’s utter denial about any knowledge of Sajid Mehmood, his wife had filed two separate applications seeking maintenance allowance from the government till her husband gets recovered and seeking reports with point-to-point comparison of efforts and steps taken for the recovery of SHC Chief Justice’s son and her husband.

Before that on October 21, Ministry of Interior (MOI) under strict orders of the IHC had submitted a report that the 15 departments working under its auspices have denied any involvement in the abduction of Sajid Mehmood. MOI had then suggested the court that the petitioner should pursue her case before the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance as the Supreme Court has also transferred 300 cases of missing persons to the commission.

Petitioner Mahera Sajid in her main petition adopted before the court that she and her missing husband Sajid Mehmood were both engineers by profession and running a small software development firm ‘QualityClix’. Both are parents to three daughters.

On March 14, 206 her husband was picked by the uniformed personals and police did not register an FIR until intervention of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances to whom this matter had been reported.

She prayed despite the registration of FIR, no sincere and adequate efforts are being made for the recovery of Sajid from the illegal custody. After report from SSP investigation, IHC bench adjourned hearing till February 24.