KARACHI: Notices issued against illegal confinement
KARACHI, Aug 3: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the AG Sindh, the DSP and the SHO of Sharah-i-Noor Jehan for Aug 11 on a petition challenging illegal confinement of a recently-acquitted activist
of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan in sectarian killing cases.
Ayesha Khatoon submitted that her son, Ahmed Zahoor, who was released by the court on July 27 after 10 years, was illegally confined by the law-enforcement agencies soon after his release outside the jail.
Later, she stated, it was disclosed that he was confined to the Shahrah-i-Noor Jehan Police Station. She alleged that when she approached the DSP for the release of the detainee, he demanded Rs300,000 for the release of Ahmed Zahoor and threatened that on failure he would be killed in a fake encounter.
Her counsel Maqboolur Rehman submitted that the life of the detainee is at stake. He prayed to the court to order the production of the detainee before the court and he may be released if not involved in any case.
He also pleaded that legal action be taken against the police officials on charge of illegally confining the detainee in their custody in flagrant violation of Article 9, 10 and 14 of the Constitution.
The home department of Sindh, the DIG Police, DIG CID, the DSP and the SHO of Sharah-i-Noor Jehan and others were named as respondents in the petition. The SHC's division bench, comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Gulzar Ahmed, issuing notices to the respondents directed the AG Sindh to make a definite statement about the whereabouts of the detainee.
Meanwhile, the District and Sessions Judge Central, Syed Pir Ali Shah, on Tuesday ordered the TPO of North Nazimabad to visit the Shahrah-i-Noor Jehan police station and submit a detailed report regarding illegal confinement of one Haq Nawaz.
Shaukat Hayat challenged the detention of his cousin Haq Nawaz by his counsel Maqboolur Rehman. He submitted that the police raided his house to arrest his brother Umer Hayat, an activist of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan who was acquitted in a sectarian killing cases by the trial court recently.
On failure to arrest Umer Hayat, he stated that the police took his cousin Haq Nawaz into custody, saying he will be released only if Umer Hayat surrenders.
The court, after a preliminary hearing of the petition, appointed the TPO of North Nazimabad to visit the police station and submit a report before the court regarding illegal confinement of the detainee on Aug 5.
TANKER OWNERS PLEA: A division bench of High Court of Sindh, comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Gulzar Ahmed, on Tuesday adjourned a constitutional petition filed by Water Tanker Owners Welfare Association till Aug 18 after the Sindh police denied taking tankers into custody.
When the petition came up for hearing, AAG M. Ahmed Pirzada submitted comments by the DIGP (Operation) Fayyaz Legahri in which allegations levelled by the petitioners were termed as "general".
"No specific instances have been mentioned regarding the alleged snatching of water tankers by the police or closure of roads through water tankers during any movement of VIP or on any strike called by any political or religious party ".
The police officer, however, admitted that "in case of emergency vehicles, including water-tankers, are hired on payment of usual rates". The counsel for petitioner after going through the comments sought time to provide details of vehicles which were detained without payment. The bench, allowing the request, put off further hearing till Aug 17.
HARASSMENT: Justice Amir Hani Muslim of High Court of Sindh on Tuesday directed the district police officer (DPO) Thatta to look into the allegations of harassment by police and refusal to register an FIR on a complaint by a petitioner.
The bench was hearing a constitutional petition filed by Khuda Bux Khoso against SHO Ghora Bari, SI Syed Ali Shah and Imam Bux Brohi. -PPI/APP
