Police to recover man missing for 16 years

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday expressed concern over failure of police to recover a man allegedly missing for the last 16 years and sought a detailed report from the SSP investigations.

Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Muhammad Sarwar for the recovery of his son. Advocate Naik Muhammad, the petitioner’s counsel, stated before the court that the son of the petitioner namely Nasir was 15-year-old and a student of 10th class when he was allegedly abducted in 2004.

The counsel said Garden Town police registered the FIR with a delay of one year and made no progress in the investigation. He said the matter was also taken to the Commission for Missing Persons where the police opposed it claiming that the matter did not fall within the category of missing persons. Consequently, he said, the commission disposed of the matter after one year.

The SSP investigations was supposed to appear before the court on Friday, however, an officer of DSP rank appeared instead of the SSP and told the court that the office of the SSP investigations had been lying vacant as the new incumbent was yet to take charge of his duties since the transfer of the predecessor.

Justice Chaudhry observed that the matter pertained to the life of a person who had been allegedly missing for the last 16 years. The judge adjourned the hearing for Oct 27 and directed SSP investigations to appear in person along with a report.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court refused pre-arrest bail to a man facing a charge of gang-rape of a woman. Muhammad Ramazan approached the court for the bail before arrest denying the allegations. His counsel told court that the case against the petitioner was fabricated.

On the other side, the investigating officer told court that the petitioner along with two other accomplices assaulted a woman in Shorekot. After Justice Chaudhry Shehram Sarwar dismissed the bail petition, Ramazan tried to flee but police arrested him.