SHC concerned over growing incidents of citizens' disappearances

Bench directs law officers representing government, police and Rangers to file comments by January 16 next year

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) expressed on Wednesday its displeasure over the growing number of cases seeking whereabouts of alleged missing persons in the province.

"If any person is involved in any criminal activity, then [they] must be presented in the court of law," noted a two-judge bench, hearing missing persons' cases.



"But, if someone else is behind the citizens' disappearances, then it reflects on the failure of the institutions and also on the risks to the lives of the missing persons," noted the judges, sounding their concerns over the increasing number of cases relating to disappearances in the province.

The bench members made these remarks while hearing a petition seeking recovery of a citizen, Ilyas.

In the petition, it was said that personnel of law enforcement agencies had taken Ilyas and others into their custody from different parts of the city. It was said that while others had returned home, the whereabouts of Ilyas were still unknown to his family.

The court was pleaded to directed the provincial home secretary, provincial Rangers director-general, inspector-general of police and others to trace the whereabouts of the alleged missing persons. A direction was also sought for them to produce him in the court of law, in case he was involved in any criminal activity.



Taking up the matter, the bench members remarked, "Two [missing] persons return [home], but another four go missing". They told the law officers representing the provincial government, the paramilitary and the police forces that if any citizen is involved in any criminal activity, they may be presented before the court of law.

The judges cautioned them that in case someone else was behind the growing disappearances that continue to take place unabated then it not only reflects on the failure of the relevant institutions, but also points to the risks to the lives of such persons.

The bench issued notices to the home secretary, Rangers DG, IG and other respondents to file their comments regarding the whereabouts of Ilyas and others, as their families alleged that law enforcement agencies' personnel had taken them into custody from different parts of the city. However, their whereabouts were still untraced as police refused to entertain requests of the families to locate them.



The bench directed the law officers representing the provincial government, police and paramilitary force to file their comments by January 16 next year.