Businessman ‘linked to Al Qaeda’ missing since Feb, SHC told

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday directed the federal and provincial law officers, the Rangers director general, the provincial police chief and others to file comments on a petition against the alleged enforced disappearance of a businessman suspected to have links with Al Qaeda.

Asma Parekh said in her petition that personnel of the law enforcement agencies had raided their house in PECHS on February 28 and taken her son Umar Khalid away, adding that her husband Khalid Mukashi has also not returned home since then.

The petitioner said the law enforcers had told her that her son would be released after her husband appears before them. However, she said, her husband has not returned home in nine months.

Asma said the Ministry of Interior placed her husband’s name on the exit control list on September 12 after blocking his passport, national identity card and bank accounts, adding that she recently became aware of the unverified media reports about her husband’s alleged link with Al Qaeda.

She rejected the claim that her husband was involved in any criminal activity, saying that her spouse was a businessman and had nothing to do with any banned outfit. She said the law enforcement agencies have been harassing her family and visiting her workplace.

The petitioner said that spreading baseless news about her husband’s association with Al Qaeda is a danger to his life. She requested that the SHC direct the law enforcers to produce the missing persons in court and provide the details of any charges against them.

After the preliminary hearing of the petition, the SHC’s division bench headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers, the Rangers DG, the IGP and others, calling for them to file their comments on January 16.

Lyari gang war

The same bench also directed the federal and provincial law officers to file comments on a petition against alleged illegal detention of a businessman for his suspected links to the Lyari gang war.

Husan Bano said in her petition that her son Suhail Hasan was a businessman who was illegally detained by personnel of the law enforcement agencies on his way home from Gwadar.

She claimed that her son has been falsely linked to the Lyari gang war and that he has nothing to do with any criminal activity. She requested that the SHC direct the police and other law enforcement agencies to produce the detainee in court and provide the details of any charges against him.