Missing persons cases: SHC orders senior officials to represent home dept
Judges inquired from Soomro as to why Zubair's case was not forwarded to the provincial task force
Sindh High Court. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
Taking exception to delays in implementation of its orders passed in missing persons' cases, the Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered on Monday that an officer not less than the rank of additional secretary should represent the provincial home department in the court for these cases in future.
Headed by Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, the two-judge bench passed this order while taking serious exception to the failure of home secretary Riaz Hussain Soomro to implement directives issued by it in a missing person case.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by Soona Khan, who had approached the court to seek whereabouts of her son, who had allegedly gone missing in March, 2014.
In her petition, she said her 30-year-old son, Muhammad Zubair, is an electrician by profession. After offering Friday prayers on March 28, 2014, he went to his workplace in Moosa Lane area of Lyari but never returned.
The mother apprehended that her son might have been detained by the personnel of a paramilitary force, who were patrolling the area on the day of the incident.
Therefore, she had pleaded to the court to direct the police and Rangers to disclose the whereabouts of her son.
On August 28 this year, the SHC bench had directed the home secretary to forward the matter of Zubair's disappearance to the provincial task force for missing persons to ascertain his whereabouts.
On Monday, the judges inquired from Soomro as to why Zubair's case was not forwarded to the provincial task force despite issuance of specific order.
The secretary replied that he will look into the matter, adding that if the same had not been sent to the task force, then it will be done without any further delay.
The judges directed Soomro to ensure that the court's order is complied with in letter and spirit and furnish a report regarding its compliance by the next hearing.
"It is clarified that in missing persons' cases, no less than the additional home secretary would represent the home department, who shall also be well conversant with the facts of the cases," the judges ordered before fixing the next hearing on October 3.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 20th, 2016.
Taking exception to delays in implementation of its orders passed in missing persons' cases, the Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered on Monday that an officer not less than the rank of additional secretary should represent the provincial home department in the court for these cases in future.
Headed by Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, the two-judge bench passed this order while taking serious exception to the failure of home secretary Riaz Hussain Soomro to implement directives issued by it in a missing person case.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by Soona Khan, who had approached the court to seek whereabouts of her son, who had allegedly gone missing in March, 2014.
In her petition, she said her 30-year-old son, Muhammad Zubair, is an electrician by profession. After offering Friday prayers on March 28, 2014, he went to his workplace in Moosa Lane area of Lyari but never returned.
The mother apprehended that her son might have been detained by the personnel of a paramilitary force, who were patrolling the area on the day of the incident.
Therefore, she had pleaded to the court to direct the police and Rangers to disclose the whereabouts of her son.
On August 28 this year, the SHC bench had directed the home secretary to forward the matter of Zubair's disappearance to the provincial task force for missing persons to ascertain his whereabouts.
On Monday, the judges inquired from Soomro as to why Zubair's case was not forwarded to the provincial task force despite issuance of specific order.
The secretary replied that he will look into the matter, adding that if the same had not been sent to the task force, then it will be done without any further delay.
The judges directed Soomro to ensure that the court's order is complied with in letter and spirit and furnish a report regarding its compliance by the next hearing.
"It is clarified that in missing persons' cases, no less than the additional home secretary would represent the home department, who shall also be well conversant with the facts of the cases," the judges ordered before fixing the next hearing on October 3.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 20th, 2016.