Missing student: SHC orders constitution of JIT to probe detention allegations

Petitioner says law enforcers picked up his son from the Bilawal Chowrangi intersection in Clifton.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed the provincial home secretary on Monday to form a joint investigation team (JIT) across various law enforcement agencies to investigate the alleged detention of a student.

Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, who was heading the division bench, further directed the provincial police chief, the paramilitary Rangers provincial chief and their subordinates to submit their comments about the whereabouts of the detained student.

These directives followed a petition filed by Muhammad Tahir, who approached the court for the recovery of his son, Shamsul Arifeen, who has been missing since July 21.

The father told the two judges that law enforcers picked up his son from the Bilawal Chowrangi intersection in Clifton and alleged that he was being detained illegally by the agencies. He pleaded the court order the law enforcement agency officials to produce the detainee in court along with the record of any cases lodged against him.

Upon hearing the initial arguments, the judges directed the Sindh IGP and law enforcement agency officials to submit their comments in response to the allegations levelled against them by the petitioner. The judges also ordered the home secretary to form a JIT for the matter in order to locate the missing student.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th,2014.