Missing persons’ case: PHC fixes six more hearings for May 16

KP and Fata chief secretaries, Peshawar CCPO and ISI sector commander, are to appear before the court that day.

PESHAWAR: As many as six missing persons’ cases were heard at the Peshawar High Court on Thursday, all of which were adjourned till May 16, adding to the over-loaded cause list for that day.

The court has already ordered staff to fix over 10 missing persons’ cases for May 16’s cause list, apparently to make full use of the presence of senior officials who have been summoned for that day. Notices have been issued to the provincial police chief and chief secretary, the Fata additional chief secretary, the Peshawar police chief and Inter-Services Intelligence Agency’s sector commander for Peshawar.

Policeman denies allegation

The father of a missing person Waqar submitted an affidavit before the court and claimed that Tehkal Police SHO Zahoor had been asking him to withdraw his petition.

“Sir, this person was sitting with my cousin at his hujra when he called me on my cell phone [asking me to] withdraw my petition,” Waqar’s father said, adding that the court could ask Ishaq to verify this claim.

“What are you people doing? Why don’t you people perform your official duty?” asked Justice Mian Fasihul Mulk.

Zahoor denied the allegation, and Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan adjourned the case till May 16.

In another case, CJ Khan issued show-cause notices to the station house officers of the Pishtakhara and East Cantt stations when the current Pishtakhara SHO denied having picked up missing person Eid Nazar, a resident of Parachinar.

FC seeks more time

Eid’s brother Muhammad Nazar had alleged that Pishtakhara police had picked up his brother on October 8, 2010. But the current SHO, who appeared before the court, denied the claim upon which the case was also put off till May 16.

In the next case, Major Zafar Iqbal, who was representing the Frontier Corps inspector-general, informed the court that the field commander who returned from the battlefield on Wednesday has sought time to gather information on the whereabouts of Khan Muhammad.

Khan, a resident of Bara area in Khyber Agency, went missing on April 12.

Petitioner Khyal Bibi, Khan’s wife, accused the Kurram Agency political administration of having picked up her husband after officials from the administration raided her house at midnight on April 12, 2010.

The court issued instructions to Major Iqbal to submit a reply before May 16.

In Amanullah’s case, Iqbal took the same line, saying the case was also under the jurisdiction of the same field commander. That case will now be heard on May 16.