Relatives of 19 missing individuals argue their loved ones have not been proved guilty of any crimes. DESIGN: SIDRAH MOIZ KHAN
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interior and Fata additional chief secretary (ACS) were issued notices by the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to submit replies in connection with 19 missing persons’ cases.
Relatives of petitioners have been picked up from locations across K-P and the tribal areas and their current whereabouts remain unknown. This was shared with Justice Mian Fasihul Mulk and Justice Yahya Afridi on Wednesday by petitioner Imanullah and lawyers of other petitioners.
The lawyers said families of detainees have not been informed whether their loved ones are alive or dead; detainees have not even been presented in court. They added officials have been approached through various notices but they are yet to respond.
If detainees were found to be involved in any type of criminal activity then they should be presented in court and if they are not guilty then they should be released, argued the lawyers.
In response, the bench issued notices to the defence ministry, interior ministry, provincial government and the Fata ACS, directing them to submit their reply in this regard. The next hearing is December 27.
On November 27, while hearing 279 missing persons petitions, the PHC was informed ten more have been shifted to various interment centres in K-P. The court was told a complete report of the federal task force for missing persons would be produced within two to three days.
The ten men included Qaiser Khan, who was shifted to an internment centre in Malakand, Younas and Bilal to one in Kohat, Noor Zada, Shahzada, Younas Khan, Noor Muhammad, Taj Muhamamd and Akbar Saddique to Lakki Marwat and Noor Ali to Paithom Internment Centre in Swat.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2013.
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