Govts put on notice in missing persons case

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has issued notices to the federal and provincial governments, along with relevant agencies, in connection with two petitions seeking the recovery of missing persons from various parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

A single bench headed by Chief Justice SM Atiq Shah heard a total of six petitions related to missing persons. During the proceedings, Additional Advocate General, Additional Attorney General Sanaullah, and focal persons from the Home Department and police appeared before the court.

Following the hearing, the court disposed of three petitions, referred one case to the Commission on Enforced Disappearances, and sought reports from the concerned authorities on the remaining two petitions.

The court was informed that the petitioners had approached the judiciary for the recovery of individuals who had gone missing under unknown circumstances, and their whereabouts remain untraced.

Meanwhile, in a separate case PHC has barred the Anti-Corruption Department from arresting any employees or contractors of three Tehsil Municipal Administrations (TMAs) in Charsadda until further orders, citing that no FIR has been registered in the seven-year-old inquiry.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Ijaz Khan issued the directive while hearing a petition filed by TMA employees and contractors from Charsadda, Shabqadar, and Tangi. The petition challenges the prolonged delay in concluding an inquiry initiated in 2018 and alleges continuous harassment by anti-corruption officials.

During the hearing, Advocate Sultan Muhammad Khan, representing the petitioners, informed the court that tenders for the repair of electrical transformers were properly advertised and executed between 2015 and 2017 in compliance with all legal requirements.