SHC directs Hyderabad SSP to recover missing person

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the Hyderabad SSP to submit a progress report with regard to the recovery of a missing person allegedly detained by personnel of law enforcement agencies.

Petitioner Shabana Sheikh submitted that her nephew Zain Sheikh had allegedly been whisked away by personnel of law enforcement agencies from his house situated in the Hali Road area on January 1.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto asked a provincial law officer about the progress being made to recover the detainee. The law officer submitted that no incident had been taken place at the SITE police station Hyderabad.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that the house of the petitioner was situated within the limits of the Hali Road police station and expressed apprehension that the life of the petitioner was in danger.

The high court directed the Hali Road SHO to record a statement of the petitioner and take action if cognisable offence was made out. The SHC observed that the matter pertained to the life and liberty of a citizen and directed the SSP to take steps for the recovery of the missing person and submit a progress report on January 21.

In another missing person case, the high court directed the interior and defence secretaries to file comments with regard to the recovery of citizens who had been missing for several years.

The SHC was informed that Mohammad Furqan Khan, Ali Mehdi, Mohammad Amin, Mohammad Ilyas and Anees Ismail were allegedly picked up by personnel of law enforcement agencies from the New Karachi, Rizvia society, PECHS and Landhi areas and their whereabouts were still unknown.

The high court directed the secretaries to file their respective progress reports and directed the provincial authorities to conduct their respective joint investigation teams’ sessions for the recovery of the missing persons.