A fair chance: Family wants trial for ‘black category’ militants

Files petition in Peshawar High Court seeking order to this effect.

PESHAWAR: The family of two alleged militants, who were placed in the black category by internment centre authorities, demanded a trial for the suspects. They approached Peshawar High Court, seeking an order to this effect for the government.

The division bench of Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Irshad Qaiser put the provincial government on notice, directing it to submit written replies before the next date of hearing.

Arif Jan Abdullah, counsel for petitioner Muhammad Azam, informed the court his client’s sons, Mulazim Hussain and Abdul, were allegedly picked up by security forces a few years ago from Bhakkar district, Punjab. He said the sons of his client were taken to an internment centre and later placed in the black category (proven militants).

In a previous hearing, the court disposed of the petitions with the direction that authorities allow the families of the suspects to meet them as per the law. “The family is not allowed to meet the detainees in the internment centre and their trials are yet to commence,” said Arif Jan. “This has made relatives anxious.”

The court was informed that under the Action (in Aid of Civil Power) Regulations 2011, the government is required to decide cases of detainees within 120 days and the family should also be allowed to meet them.

The division bench directed Additional Advocate General Waqar Ahmad Khan to submit the government’s response within two weeks.

Similarly, the court also sought a response from the home and tribal affairs secretary in the case of a missing person called Saeedullah.

Those left behind

Abdullah filed a petition, stating his son was picked by secret agencies from Khyber Super Market on Stadium Road, Peshawar on July 25, 2014. He said an FIR was filed, but Saeedullah’s whereabouts remain unknown.

Also, Hamidullah told the bench, through a petition, that his son Khairullah, was picked up in June 2014 from North Waziristan Agency. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs8 million which was not paid and he was subsequently handed over to secret agencies, the petitioner added.

After a Supreme Court order, an FIR was registered against the incident in the DI Khan police station. The family was later informed the suspect was being detained at Lakki Marwat internment centre where his family is not allowed to visit. The court directed the internment centre in charge to submit his report before the next date of hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2015.