Daily Times

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday directed Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Malir Rao Anwar to appear before it and file a comprehensive reply regarding the whereabouts of Pakistan Qaumi Movement (PQM) Chairman Syed Iqbal Kazmi, who has been missing since January 17, 2017.

A division bench, headed by Justice Syed Muhammad Farooq Shah, was hearing the petition filed by Kazmi’s wife Shazia Kazmi and the PQM’s Secretary General Muhammad Zahid Maqsood who claimed that the law enforcers allegedly picked up Kazmi.

Kazmi went missing just four days before his scheduled rally on Jan 21, in which Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain was likely to address but due to Kazmi’s absence, the rally could not be taken out.

In Tuesday’s hearing, Kazmi’s wife told the judges that her husband is missing for last 22 days but still they are clueless about his whereabouts. She stated that Kazmi is a chronic patient of Asthma and they are concerned about his health. PQM’s secretary general said that Kazmi was in police protection at the time of detention, therefore he must be picked up by any other agencies.

The court directed federal and provincial law officer and Rangers prosecutor to get in touch with all law enforcement agencies functioning in the country and inquire about Kazmi.

“Kazmi, after being failed to get permission from authorities concerned to take out rally, has filed a petition in the SHC and sought the court’s directives to the administration to permit PQM’s rally. Kazmi was picked up by the personnel of LEA near Karachi airport when was going back to home from SHC after filing the petition on Jan 17,” the petitioners added.

The court was requested to direct the authorities concerned to recover Kazmi and produce him before it.