Where’s the law? : Judge calls Hayatabad a gambling den

Says police not doing anything against heinous activities

PESHAWAR: Justice Qaiser Rasheed of the Peshawar High Court observed on Monday that Hayatabad Township had become a den of gambling and drinking and this was happening under the nose of the police.

He said this while hearing a writ petition filed by relatives of Izzat Khan, who went missing from the area. He said police were acting like silent spectators and there was no one to stop those involved in heinous crimes.

When the hearing commenced, Hayatabad SHO Ibad Wazir appeared before the bench and said Izzat was neither in police custody nor did they know of his whereabouts.



However, Justice Rasheed said Hayatabad was the place where nobles would reside, but it has now become a den for criminals due to the incompetency of the police.

He added criminals, after committing crimes elsewhere in the province, took shelter in the area, but there was no one to keep a check on them.

If this continued to happen, he said, the court would write to the police chief to terminate the services of incompetent officials of the force.

Moreover, he ordered the SHO to submit an affidavit on the issue and adjourned the case till the next hearing.

The same bench also issued a notice to the federal government and security incharge of Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan over MPhil student Ameer Hamza going missing mysteriously.

While hearing a writ petition filed for the rescue of Hamza through Daniyal Aziz, the bench was told Hamza was picked by personnel of the counter-terrorism department on July 19 during a raid on his hostel.

Aziz said since Hamza’s whereabouts were unknown, the bench should issue orders to the relevant officials for his rescue.

After hearing the arguments, the bench put the respondents on notice and  sought their comments.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2016.