Daily Times

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has directed the provincial police chief to trace out a missing college student or show up with an explanation.

“Muhammad Faisal, a student of Shipowners College, had been missing since last four years but the police has failed to find his whereabouts and Joint Investigation Team’s sessions were also concluded without any result,” observed a two-member bench seized with the hearing of the petition filed by missing student’s father.

The bench ruled, “We refer the matter to the Provincial Task Force (PTF) and direct IGP to make all possible efforts for recovery of the missing person or else appear in person on the next date of hearing.”

The case was put off till Feb 19.

Muhammad Islam informed the judges that his son had gone shopping in Saddar market on Jan 9, 2012 but did not return home. He said his son was kidnapped as there was no clue to his whereabouts since then.

He approached the law enforcement agencies to have his son released but was thrown from pillar to post, Islam lamented while pleading the judges to direct them to get his son released and produce him in the court.

While hearing another petition, the same bench directed the SSP to appear before it to explain efforts so far taken to recover a missing Pakistan Air Force (PAF) employee.

Petitioner Noor Bibi told the judges that her son had left PAF base Masroor in January 2013 for his village in Khaniwal but did not reach his destination. Since then he was missing.

Misbahuddin, another petitioner, told the judges that his relatives, Peerzada, Noorzada, Ainzada, Shahabuddin and Mahmood were picked up by Sohrab Goth police, however, little was known about their whereabouts as yet.

He alleged that the police had been demanding Rs 600, 000 for their release but he could not arrange the huge amount. He complained that he had approached the higher authorities and officials of the law enforcement agencies to seek information about them but all to no avail.

The judges were visibly irked when they were informed that the SSP concerned was absent despite court’s direction to turn up with progress report. “No progress report whatsoever was received. We direct the SSP to be present on the next hearing,” the judges ordered. “The SSP’s presence shall be ensured by the DIGP concerned along with report.”

In another case, Nadim Ahmed Abro, additional home secretary informed the court that the meeting of PTF was held on Dec 19 to discuss the cases of missing persons. However, he sought time to submit detailed report.

The court was critical of Khawaja Ajmir Nagri police for making no headway in locating two missing men said to be associated with a banned outfit.

It directed the PTF to find out ways and record some findings regarding the missing persons and submit its report on the next hearing.

Petitioner Hasti Gul alleged that his brother Pakhtoon Khan and son Bilal were picked up from their home by the Rangers personnel on 1st Nov 2012. He added that he had approached Rangers to seek their whereabouts but they refused to disclose any information about them.