KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the deputy attorney general to ask army officials about the whereabouts of a former sepoy. The court also asked the DAG to find out if legal aid could be provided to the sepoy in Field General Court Martial.
Petitioner Jama, from Umerkot, approached the SHC to ask for the release of her son from the alleged custody of the army.
According to Jama’s counsel, Irfan Ahmed Memon, her son Suleman Uraiser was a sepoy in Corps V. he had been posted in Wana, South Waziristan. Upon his return from South Waziristan, Suleman opened a tea shop in Umerkot.
On December 9, 2009, around 10 men who introduced themselves as members of Agency 945 picked up her son. He has been missing since then.
Deputy Attorney General Nazar Akbar presented an army officer’s letter, which said that Uraiser, son of Dawood Uraiser, is in the army’s custody.
The detainee is facing a field general court martial for having committed an offence under the Official Secrets Act 1923.
The counsel asked for Suleman’s location to be disclosed so that he could at least be provided legal assistance, after which the SHC division bench ordered that the DAG should find out where Suleman has been detained and whether it is possible to provide him a lawyer.
The hearing was adjourned till August 17.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 12th, 2010.
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