SHC moved against ‘illegal detention’ of school principal

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Saturday issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers and others on a petition against alleged enforced disappearance of a school principal by personnel of law enforcement agencies.

The family members of Mehmood Azam Qasmi told the court that personnel of law enforcement agencies picked him up from North Karachi on March 29 and his whereabouts are still unknown.

The petitioners’ counsel Javed Chattari said closed-circuit television cameras show personnel of law enforcement agencies arresting Qasmi, but he is yet to be produced before any court of law. The SHC was requested to direct the police and other law enforcement agencies to produce the detainee in court and provide the details of cases against him, if any.

The court issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers, the Sindh police chief and others, ordering them to submit their comments on May 30. The high court also directed police, Rangers and others to file their reports on petitions against enforced disappearances of citizens from different parts of the city.

Petitioners Rukhsana, Nazar Brohi, Afshan Gul, Asadullah, Rani, Samiullah, Mumtaz Begum and Islam Mehmood had said in their petitions that personnel of law enforcement agencies picked up Farazuddin, Shaukat Brohi, Amjad Khan, Abdul Ghani, Mohammad Asif, Farhad Ali, Sheikh Mohammad Saleem, Mohammad Amir from Orangi Town, Jamshed Road, Shah Faisal Colony, Garden and Saudabad. The high court directed police and other law enforcement agencies to file their comments regarding the detention of the above-mentioned on the next date of hearing.