Missing person case: SHC warns of jailing defence, interior secretaries

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday took an exception to non-filing of comments by the secretaries defence and interior and warned of sending them to jail for non-filing of reports in missing persons cases.

Hearing petitions of missing persons, the SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, observed that this indifferent conduct will not do anymore and an example will be set by sending these secretaries to prison. The court also took an exception to the law enforcement agencies’ (LEAs) failure to recover missing persons for the last several years and directed secretaries of the Ministry of Defence and Interior and heads of joint investigation teams to submit their progress reports.

The court observed that police investigation officers had done nothing to recover the missing persons despite several directions of the court.

The court inquired investigation officers as to why the missing persons have not been recovered and what efforts were being made to trace their whereabouts. The court observed that despite several meetings of joint investigation teams, no result could be achieved.

The court directed secretaries of Ministry of Defence and interior to collect reports from internment centers and observed that in case reports are not collected, they shall have to appear in person and explain non-compliance. The court directed additional IGP Sindh Karachi to appear in person and look into the cases of missing persons carefully.

The court directed police and heads of joint investigation teams to submit the progress report with regard to recovery of missing persons on the next date of hearing.