Post images of missing persons to social media: SHC

Bench expresses ire over failure to locate missing people despite numerous JIT meetings

KARACHI:

Sindh High Court (SHC) has mandated the use of modern technology and the posting of images on social media to recover the missing persons.

Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto presided over a two-member bench for the hearing. The Investigating Officer (IO) was questioned by the court about the efforts made to locate the missing people. The IO responded that 21 Joint Investigation Team (JITs) and 16 provincial task force meetings have been held.

The family members stated Muhammad Zubair disappeared from the Baghdadi area in 2014, and there has been no sign of him since. They have been visiting the police station and courts since 2014, but they have not received any justice at all.

Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto said, “You people should not worry; justice will be served.”

The family members of Hasan Dilawar said he went missing from Landhi in 2015. His location and current state are unknown at this time, they added.

The IO was asked by the court how many JITs had been conducted. Thirty JITs and 12 provincial task force meetings have been held, the IO answered.

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The family of Saqib Afridi said he was missing since 2015. The investigating officer was questioned by the court about the efforts made to locate the missing person. The IO said 22 JITs and 15 Provincial Task Force meetings have been held and an ongoing search is underway, reported by SSP Investigation.

The court expressed outrage at the investigating officer, noting that the missing individuals had not been located after 22 JIT sessions were conducted.

Syed Naveed Ali was missing from the limits of Sahil police station, Zafar Iqbal from Site Super Highway and Aizaz Hassan from Nazimabad, their family members told the court.

The court ordered their pictures to be shared on social media to locate missing people while ordering the use of modern technology and modern equipment to recover all missing citizens.

The court postponed the hearing to February 8 and sought a progress report from the SP investigation on the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2024.