Sindh woman asks CJP for release of son from Punjab police

Sindh police arrest 12 Punjab cops, recover two persons from their custody; both provinces make conflicting claims

A woman has approached the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) for release of his son Sharif Khoso from alleged illegal custody of Punjab police.

Earlier, the Supreme Court (SC) had ordered Sindh police for security of Sharif Khoso, a complainant in a murder case of his brother, pending at Anti-Terrorism Court Khairpur. Jalat Khoso, a resident of Sukkur, blamed that his son and two others relatives are eye witnesses of the case and have been illegally arrested by Punjab police with malafide intention to put pressure upon them to withdraw the case.

On March 7 (Sunday),12 officials of the Punjab’ Kot Sabzal police station, district Rahimyar Khan, along with three vehicles conducted a raid on Airport Road in Sukkur and arrested three persons – Sharif Khoso, Farid Khoso and Nasuruulah Khoso – without informing local police and taking mandatory permission from Sindh Home Department.

On the information of relatives of arrested persons, Sukkur police apprehended 12 police officials along with two vehicles and recovered Farid Khoso and Nasuruulah Khoso and lodged FIR No 07/2017 under Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code (kidnapping or abducting) against Sub-Inspector Muhammad Irfan, ASI Shakeel Ahmed and Kaleemullah and constables Adnan, Abdul Hadi, Muhammad Kashif, Imran, Naseer Ahmed, Hafiz Abid Ali, Muhammad Saleem, Jameel and Zaheer at the Airport Police Station in Sukkur.

DSP Mehr Nasir and SHO Jam Aijaz of the Kot Sabzal police station have also been nominated in the FIR but have not been arrested yet. All officials of Punjab police in question were sent to prison by a district and sessions court on Monday on a 14-day judicial remand.

Sharif Khoso could not be recovered, who according to Sukkur police, has been taken up by Punjab police in another vehicle which could not be intercepted.

Jalat Khoso in her letter addressed to CJP, a copy of which available with The News, blamed Punjab police for illegal arrest and detention of his son Sharif Khoso. In her application, she
also included an order of the SC regarding provision of security to his son Sharif Khoso.

District police officer of Rahimyar Khan, SSP Zeshan Asghar, denying the confinement of Sharif Khoso, said all three persons were notorious criminals and involved in many cases of kidnapping for ransom and declared as proclaimed offenders.

Punjab police party went to arrest them but instead of providing them help, Sindh police arrested all team members and implicated them in a kidnapping case. Asghar added that Punjab police was on its legal duty and was unaware about any prior order of SC or about any other issues including the murder case of Sharif Khoso.

Regional Police Officer of Bahawalpur DIG Idress Ahmed repeated the same story and added that Punjab police was on its legitimate duty and Sindh police acted illegally to arrest them.

Sukkur SSP Amjad Ahmed Shaikh said neither the Punjab police officials informed them before arresting the three men, nor did they abide by the required formalities before taking them away.

They should have taken permission of Sindh Home Department and then informed the area police before arresting the men and then they should have made an entry in records after arresting them, but they did not do so, explained SSP Amjad Shaikh.