Pasban leader, son’s detention challenged in SHC

Karachi
The Sindh High Court issued notices to the defence and interior ministries, the Rangers and police chiefs and others on Monday on a petition challenging the illegal detention of Pasban’s general secretary and his son allegedly by law enforcement agencies.
The petitioner, Subohi Usman Moazzam, submitted in her petition that personnel of law enforcement agencies had raided her house in the Samanabad area on July 19 and took away her spouse and Pasban’s general secretary, Usman Moazzam, and their son, Mohammad Siddiqui, without disclosing any reason for their arrests.
She said that when the Rangers authorities were approached to inquire about the detainees’ whereabouts, neither they gave any clue about the allegations against them nor they shared any information on their whereabouts.
Her counsel, Mohammad Farooq, submitted that the detention of Moazzam and his son was a violation of the basic rights guaranteed in the constitution. He said that one son of the petitioner, Saad Moazzam, had also been missing since June 11 and a petition was pending before the high court.
The counsel mentioned that Moazzam had recently contested the National Assembly by-poll to NA-246 Karachi, and requested the court to direct the provincial and federal governments to bring the detainees to court and provide details of charges if any against them.
A division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar issued notices to the federal and provincial governments, and directed them to file comments by August 6.

More detention cases
The SHC also called comments from the inspector general of police and the DG Rangers on petitions of citizens against illegal detentions.
Badarun Nisa, Mohammad Shafi, Abdul Ghafoor, Abdul Saleem and Sobia Shuja submitted that police and personnel of other law enforcement agencies took into custody Taha Ahmed Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Mureed Hussain, Moiz Saleem and Shujaur Rehman Jafri from Liaquatabad, Malir, Landhi, Sachal and Saudabad areas during raids.
They said Taha, Shujaur Rehman Jaffery were government employees, while the Moiz Saleem was a guard at the Karachi Port Trust. They said neither the detainees were produced before any court of law nor were details of any charges provided to their families members.
The court issuing notices to the official respondents called their comments.

Three get life
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) awarded 21 years' imprisonment to two men, while another was sentenced to 14 years for possession of illegal weapons and explosive materials.
Accused Zahid Shah, Abdul Jaleel and Shoaib Ahmed were sent to prison after the court had heard the cases and examined the witnesses.
They were arrested on July 19 last year, from an area under the jurisdiction of the Sachal police station, for possession of two unlicensed pistols, two hand grenades and other illegal weapons.