Enforced disappearances: Non-bailable arrest warrant issued for Bannu commissioner
Peshawar High Court expresses displeasure over non-submission of oversight board reports.
On November 17, 2014, the high court issued a bailable arrest warrant for the in charge of Lakki Marwat internment centre for not complying with court orders seeking the death certificate of a deceased detainee and for not appearing before the court. PHOTO: PPI
PESHAWAR:
A non-bailable arrest warrant has been issued for the commissioner of Bannu for not complying with court orders and failing to submit oversight board reports sought by the court in missing persons’ cases.
A two-member Peshawar High Court (PHC) bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Muhammad Daud Khan issued the arrest warrant on Wednesday while hearing 17 petitions of enforced disappearances. The bench once again attached the salary of the officer in charge of Lakki Marwat internment centre.
In custody
When the hearings began, the court was informed that Minhajuddin went missing four years ago and was later traced to the Lakki Marwat internment centre.
Similarly, petitioner Husan Zeba told the court her husband Nadir Khan and son Idrees were picked up from Islamabad around three years ago. She added Nadir’s body was handed over to the family two years ago but her son is still detained at Lakki Marwat’s internment centre.
The bench issued directives to the relevant authorities to submit oversight board reports of Minhaj and Idrees before the next hearing.
Another petitioner, Gul Nawaz, said his son Khaliq Niaz was a seminary student and was allegedly picked up by security forces from Bannu. Nawaz added they learnt later that Niaz was being held in Lakki Marwat internment centre and the family has met him a few times.
The father further said they have not been told under what charges his son is being detained. The court then sought a report of the oversight board before the next hearing.
Showing displeasure over the non-submission of such reports sought in petitions heard earlier, the PHC issued an arrest warrant for Bannu commissioner who has jurisdiction over Lakki Marwat.
An oversight board comprises four members and is headed by the commissioner of the relevant district. The commissioner is supposed to prepare a report on the internees for the court.
Meanwhile, the bench also disposed of two petitions of enforced disappearances wherein the court was informed that investigations are under way in the cases, while one petition was withdrawn by the complainant.
The hearing was adjourned till February 18.
A perennial concern
Non-submission of oversight board reports is one of PHC’s main concerns for detainees who have been languishing for years in various notified internment centres in the province and tribal areas.
On November 17, 2014, the high court issued a bailable arrest warrant for the in charge of Lakki Marwat internment centre for not complying with court orders seeking the death certificate of a deceased detainee and for not appearing before the court.
The bench of Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Muhammad Ghazanfar Khan had issued the arrest warrant and attached the official’s salary in the case of the death of Piyo Gul who died in detention on November 28, 2013.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2015.
A non-bailable arrest warrant has been issued for the commissioner of Bannu for not complying with court orders and failing to submit oversight board reports sought by the court in missing persons’ cases.
A two-member Peshawar High Court (PHC) bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Muhammad Daud Khan issued the arrest warrant on Wednesday while hearing 17 petitions of enforced disappearances. The bench once again attached the salary of the officer in charge of Lakki Marwat internment centre.
In custody
When the hearings began, the court was informed that Minhajuddin went missing four years ago and was later traced to the Lakki Marwat internment centre.
Similarly, petitioner Husan Zeba told the court her husband Nadir Khan and son Idrees were picked up from Islamabad around three years ago. She added Nadir’s body was handed over to the family two years ago but her son is still detained at Lakki Marwat’s internment centre.
The bench issued directives to the relevant authorities to submit oversight board reports of Minhaj and Idrees before the next hearing.
Another petitioner, Gul Nawaz, said his son Khaliq Niaz was a seminary student and was allegedly picked up by security forces from Bannu. Nawaz added they learnt later that Niaz was being held in Lakki Marwat internment centre and the family has met him a few times.
The father further said they have not been told under what charges his son is being detained. The court then sought a report of the oversight board before the next hearing.
Showing displeasure over the non-submission of such reports sought in petitions heard earlier, the PHC issued an arrest warrant for Bannu commissioner who has jurisdiction over Lakki Marwat.
An oversight board comprises four members and is headed by the commissioner of the relevant district. The commissioner is supposed to prepare a report on the internees for the court.
Meanwhile, the bench also disposed of two petitions of enforced disappearances wherein the court was informed that investigations are under way in the cases, while one petition was withdrawn by the complainant.
The hearing was adjourned till February 18.
A perennial concern
Non-submission of oversight board reports is one of PHC’s main concerns for detainees who have been languishing for years in various notified internment centres in the province and tribal areas.
On November 17, 2014, the high court issued a bailable arrest warrant for the in charge of Lakki Marwat internment centre for not complying with court orders seeking the death certificate of a deceased detainee and for not appearing before the court.
The bench of Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Muhammad Ghazanfar Khan had issued the arrest warrant and attached the official’s salary in the case of the death of Piyo Gul who died in detention on November 28, 2013.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2015.