KARACHI, March 30: The Sindh High Court directed the federal defence secretary on Thursday to file an affidavit about the whereabouts of a missing youth after verification from the agencies concerned.

A division bench, comprising Justices Ghulam Rabbani and Gulzar Ahmed, was hearing a petition moved by Ms Zahida Leghari alleging that her 23-year-old son, Affan Leghari, was picked up by personnel of a law enforcement agency from his residence in Gulzar-i-Hijri on Oct 30, 2004, in connection with his links with extremist religious groups.

He had not been seen or heard of since. He had neither been produced before a magistrate not any case had been registered against him in any police station.

The police and other provincial agencies denied having arrested the alleged detainee and the court asked a federal attorney to obtain information from the federal agencies through the relevant ministry.

A federal government standing counsel submitted a statement on behalf of the defence minister, which the court found inadequate and asked the counsel to have an affidavit filed by the defence secretary after verification from the various agencies. The hearing was adjourned to April 13.