Daily Times

The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued on Monday notices to the prosecutor general Sindh and others to file their comments on bail petitions of Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Shaikh in two cases.

A two-judge bench of the SHC directed the respondents to furnish their comments until March 16. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader instituted the petitions seeking bail in the two cases.

During the hearing, his lawyer alleged that his client was booked in the cases on the directives of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, adding he was subjected to vengeful action on being appointed as the opposition leader. He pleaded with the bench to order the PTI leader’s release on bail. Haleem Adil Sheikh said terrorism provisions incorporated in the FIRs showed mala fide intentions of the PPP government. “Murad Ali Shah and the PPP leadership is involved,” he said.

The opposition leader approached the SHC after an anti-terrorism court rejected his bail pleas. One of the two cases pertained to attempted murder, interference in government duties and disruption during an anti-encroachment drive while the other related to violence, firing and causing terror during the by-polls in Karachi’s PS-88.

Meanwhile, a bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday ordered police to constitute a joint investigation team (JIT) for recovery of the missing children.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto hearing the missing children case. The court asked about progress in recovery of the missing children from the Additional IG CIA, who appeared in the court’s hearing. “What happened about the recovery of Nida,” Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto asked the police official.

“A suspect has been arrested near the Karachi University and two girls of five and seven years of age, have been recovered,” AIG CIA Arif Hanif told the bench. “DNA test of the recovered girls being conducted. Hopefully we will reach Nida with these girls,” CIA official said. “Our child has been kidnapped for the last three-and-half years,” parents of Nida lamented in the court.

“These girls are not being kidnapped without reason, definitely an organized gang working behind it,” the court remarked. “What happened about recovery of other girls and what steps were taken to halt such incidents,” Justice Phulpoto further questioned.

“A man was arrested but nothing was found from him,” the Judge angrily said. “The photos of missing children were published in newspapers,” the official said.

The court ordered the AIG CIA for formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) for recovery of the missing children adding that all resources should be utilized for recovery of the untraced kids. The bench ordered the police to submit its comprehensive report over the issue by April 13. The petition was filed by a non-governmental organisation seeking court directives to the provincial police for considering the cases of those children who went missing from different parts of Karachi and registering FIRs in this regard as well as proper investigation.

The NGO alleged that cases of missing children were not properly investigated by the police, which resulted in many avoidable deaths.