PHC seeks policy on future of ‘grey militants’

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday directed the federal and provincial governments to submit policy about future of the terror suspects who have been declared ‘grey’ to know if they would be freed after de-radicalisation or tried through proper courts.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Irshad Qaiser issued the directives in cases of the missing persons detained to the internment centres and declared ‘grey. ’ The chief justice expressed concern over the non-submission of the policy about future of ‘grey’ internees after Additional Advocate General Qaiser Ali Shah sought some time for submission of the progress report.
During hearing of the cases, Deputy Attorney General Manzoor Khalil, who was representing the ministries of interior and defence, informed the bench that as per his knowledge both grey and black categories of the internees were being tried by the military courts. However, he didn’t provide any policy or written documents wherein it was decided that the militants termed grey and black were being tried by the military courts.
The court directed the deputy attorney general to submit the policy about the future of grey internees within 15 days.
Of the progress report of the Home and Tribal Affairs Department, the additional advocate general submitted a report about a meeting on this issue at the provincial level. It was stated in the meeting held on April 13, this year that the relevant provision of the law was being followed in letter and spirit and that the suspects are being freed when there was no evidence about their involvement in terrorism and anti-state activities. It was stated in the reply submitted to the court that the list of convicted internees would be provided to court and of those set free after de-radicalisation. However, the chief justice expressed anger over the delay in submitting the policy about the future of ‘grey’ internees in the court in six months period.
The additional advocate general requested the court to give him some more time to submit proper reply. The court was hearing the cases of Naqeeb Khan, Kaptan Khan, Suratur Rehman and Noor Bibi, who were shifted to various interment centres. They had been declared grey by the oversight board.
Naqeeb Khan, a resident of Mohmand Agency, who is presently living in Nowshera district, had filed a petition about his missing relative Yousaf Khan and son Khyal Mohammad. He claimed that the two persons had been picked up by the security forces on January 23, 2012.
The tribesman said the accused were shifted to the internment centre, where they were declared grey. He said the family members didn’t know about their future.