Enforced disappearances: Defence ministry denies allegations of illegal detention

Defence secretary Asif Yaseen appears in court.

PESHAWAR: The Ministry of Defence secretary denied all allegations against running detention centres and holding people in illegal custody at a hearing at the Peshawar High Court on Thursday. 

“I don’t know about any (illegal centre) but if there is one, I will order it to be shut down,” said Defence Secretary Lieutenant General Asif Yaseen Malik during the hearing of the missing person cases.

The bench comprised Chief Justice (CJ) Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth.

In response, the CJ said he has knowledge of two centres in garrison areas and some in the tribal belt. He added there is also proof a Hashtnagri resident was kept in illegal custody for 39 months, and was released after being proven innocent.

The CJ further said licences could be issued to run these centres, but this should be made public. “Armed forces should not give people a chance to stand against them. Even the US has acknowledged the name of their prison called Guantanamo Bay”.



Commander Shahbaz, another official from the ministry, told the court that out of 189 cases of alleged abductions, 93 were not found, while the whereabouts of 95 were still under process. The court will be informed about this in four weeks, he said. Shahbaz added that one person was handed over to the political administration in Mohmand Agency for his trial under the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR).

Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs Muhammad Azam Khan then submitted a list of all those in custody.

Frontier Corps representative Major Farrukh Ikram said two people have been handed over to the political administration in Khyber Agency for their alleged involvement in anti-state activities.

Provincial Police Chief Akbar Khan Hoti also cleared their name saying there was no illegal detention centre being run. The bench, however, told them they have information about people detained at a women’s police station.

The court then directed Azam and Hoti to look into police claims and ordered the additional registrar to compare the home secretary’s list to that of the missing persons so cases of those identified are disposed.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2013.