IG to explain action against CTD officials

They are accused of illegally confining three citizens

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Wednesday the inspector-general of police to explain what action was taken against the Counter-Terrorism Department's (CTD) DSP Abdul Hafeez Junejo and others involved in the illegal confinement of three citizens.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, also allowed time to the provincial prosecutor-general to file comments on the bail applications of the three captives allegedly implicated in fake cases by the CTD.

The bail pleas were filed by Imran Khanzada, Syed Waqas Hussain and Aziz Gul, who alleged that a CTD team, led by DSP Junejo, had taken them into custody and kept them in unlawful confinement despite the fact that they were not involved in any criminal activities.

The judges were told that the district and sessions judge concerned was approached to seek recovery of the captives from the CTD staff's illegal detention. Later, a judicial magistrate raided the CTD office and got them released from illegal confinement without the registration of a case against them.

However, the applicants alleged that later the CTD officials booked and implicated them in a false criminal case registered against them under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The court was pleaded to grant bail to the applicants.



Last week, another SHC division bench had taken notice of the allegations leveled against DSP Junejo and his team and had ordered the IG to ensure that departmental proceedings according to law were initiated against them.

While taking up bail pleas, the judges asked the IG to submit a report, explaining what action had been taken against DSP Junejo and others in compliance with the court's earlier directives. In the meantime, it granted time to the prosecutor-general to file comments on the bail pleas. The hearing was adjourned till February 6.

Rangers’ comments sought

The same bench, meanwhile, sought replies from the investigations SSP and provincial Rangers director-general on the whereabouts of two missing persons Zahid Haider and Mushtaq Adil who were allegedly taken into custody by the paramilitary force three years ago.

During the hearing of the plea, Adil’s mother said no progress had been made for the recovery of her son for the last three years. She pleaded that the authorities concerned should at least share the whereabouts of her son and whether he was alive or had been killed.



Haider's mother informed the court that the Rangers personnel had taken her son into custody from the Golimar locality, but they were not disclosing any information about his whereabouts till date.

Since the allegations are directly being leveled against the paramilitary force, the bench members directed the Rangers law officer to submit a reply in this regard by February 22. It also directed the investigations SSP to submit a reply in this regard.