Two employees of China-based shipping firm missing, SHC told

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday issued notices to intelligence agencies, the federal and provincial law officers and others on petitions against alleged enforced disappearances of three people, including two employees of a China-based private shipping company, by law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in connection with a Chinese national’s murder.

Rafiq Khan and Hashim said in their petitions that their sons Amir Khan, Atif Khan and Rehan Hashim were picked up by personnel of LEAs from Saadi Town and Gulistan-e-Jauhar two weeks ago, and their whereabouts remain unknown.

They said Amir and Rehan were working as chief marketing officer and finance manager, respectively, for the Cosco Shipping Lines, whose managing director Chen Zhun was killed by hitherto unidentified persons in Clifton on February 4.

They said the men were picked up by personnel of LEAs after the Chinese national’s murder and expressed apprehension that according to media reports, their detention may be linked with the case.

They also expressed apprehension about the lives of the detainees and requested the SHC to direct the police and personnel of other LEAs to produce them before the court and provide the details of the cases against them.

After the preliminary hearing of the petitions, the SHC’s division bench headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto issued notices to intelligence agencies, the home department, the provincial police chief and others, calling for their comments to be submitted on March 14.  

Facilities at hospitals

The court directed the home department and the police chief to submit reports with regard to appointment of officers at government hospitals for recording the dying declarations of victims in criminal cases.

The SHC was hearing a petition of Madadgar, a non-governmental organisation, seeking proper health facilities for female and child victims in criminal cases and the establishment of a DNA testing laboratory.

Health Secretary Dr Fazlullah Pechuho filed a statement in the court saying that all major hospitals in Karachi were equipped to deal with emergencies 24 hours a day.

With regard to recording dying declarations at hospitals, Pechuho said the home department and the police chief have been informed about the directions of the court for appointing responsible officers and taking appropriate action.

He said female medico-legal officers have been appointed in government hospitals of the city, adding that medico-legal certificates and post-mortem examination reports would be issued in computerised form in future.

With regard to establishment of a DNA testing lab, he said the health department has declared a toxicology or molecular biology lab department of forensic medicine at the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences as a certified government lab for DNA testing, while burns centres have been set up in all major hospitals of the province.

The health secretary said a summary has been moved to the chief minister for the establishment of a forensic lab for a DNA and serology facility in Sindh, adding that efforts would be made for its early approval.

He said that all stakeholders with regard to the subject matter shall be taken on board for improvements in the health department. After taking his statement on record, the court adjourned the hearing.