Missing or detained?: Woman moves court for husband’s recovery

Claims Ilyas, a retired JCO, is being held by military authorities.

RAWALPINDI:

A court on Thursday directed DPO Jhelum to search for a ‘missing’ junior commissioned officer, who had retired from army service last year.

Naib Subedar Muhammad Ilyas’ wife, in a petition had sought help from the Lahore High Court (LHC) for the recovery of her husband. She had alleged that Ilyas was being detained by military authorities without charge.

Taking notice, Justice Mazhar Iqbal of the LHC Rawalpindi bench asked the DPO to submit a report on the case by March 26.

In her petition, Kalsoom Akhtar pleaded that her husband was detained by military authorities after he retired from service last year. Making secretary defence, deputy general military intelligence (DG MI), Judge Advocate General (JAG) branch of General Headquarters (GHQ) and DPO Jhelum respondents, she requested the LHC to direct the military authorities to release her husband.

According to Akhtar’s lawyer, Ilyas was discharged from service in Quetta, in August last year, but he did not return home.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2012.