SHC seeks comments on plea for reopening sealed madrassa

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued notices to the West deputy commissioner, the SITE SHO and others on a petition seeking the reopening of a madrasa that was sealed after registration of a terrorism case against the seminary’s administrator.

Petitioner Mohammad Hashim said in the petition that he had been running a registered madrasa named Al-Karim Islamic Academy in the SITE Area, but it was sealed by the relevant assistant commissioner following the registration of a case against him for collecting donations for jihadi organisations.

He said the trial court had convicted him under anti-terrorism charges in October last year, but the high court had set aside the conviction and cleared him of all charges this March 16.

He added that the seminary was registered under the Societies Act by the provincial assistant registrar of joint stock companies and despite the high court clearing him of all terrorism charges, the assistant commissioner is yet to reopen the madrasa. He requested the court to set aside the sealing order and directed the West deputy commissioner to reopen the seminary so that its students could continue their studies.

After the preliminary hearing of the petition, the court issued notices to the deputy commissioner, the West assistant commissioner, the SITE SHO and others, calling for their comments.

Detention cases: The SHC directed the federal law officer to file comments on the application of a woman who claims that her spouse has been handed over to the Afghan authorities.

Petitioner Dilnawaz Bibi claimed that her husband Naimatullah was taken into custody by personnel of law enforcement agencies on July 5, 2014 from Sher Pao Colony. Her counsel produced a newspaper carrying a report that mentions the woman identifying her spouse in a picture of detainees, who, according to the report, was handed over to the Afghan authorities in November 2017.

The court directed the federal law officer to file comments with regard to the whereabouts of the detainee on the basis of the newspaper report.

In the detention case of Syed Shiraz Haider, who was allegedly picked up on November 16, 2016 from Gulbahar, the court directed the Sindh police chief to submit a report with regard to the present status of the detainee and his pending trial proceedings.

The court was informed by the police that the home department had written a letter to the police chief enclosing a summary in respect of eight suspects, including the detainee, who were apprehended by the Military Intelligence for their alleged involvement in sectarian killings and requested transferring their cases to military courts.

The court directed the police chief to submit details with regard to the detainee as well as directed the federal and provincial law officers to file comments on petitions against detentions of citizens allegedly by law enforcers.