KARACHI, April 17: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday asked a deputy superintendent of police to file a personal affidavit in respect of the arrest of a detainee, and adjourned hearing of a number of petitions about ‘missing’ people to the second week of May.

Advocate Chaudhry Iqbal alleged that Ali Mohammad was picked up in 2004 by police and rangers personnel and his whereabouts were not known since then. DSP Mazhar Masavi of CID warned his relatives against seeking legal remedy.

Federal government’s standing counsel Mahmood Alam Rizvi submitted that he had sought comments in pursuance of court orders and according to the interior and defence ministries, he was not in the custody of any federal agency working under them. The Inter-Services Intelligence has also stated that it had nothing to do with the arrest or custody of the alleged detainee.

The petitions moved about the detention of Muneer A. Mengal, Syed Mumtaz Husain, Salim Baloch and others were also fixed for hearing. The petitioners’ counsel sought a date after April 20, when the Supreme Court was to consider petitions on ‘missing’ people. The bench adjourned further hearing to the second week of May.

EX-MINISTER’S PLEA: The bench issued notices for April 20 in a petition filed by former provincial law minister Pir Mazharul Haq against inclusion of his name in the exit control list. Pending the petition, he sought a direction that he should be allowed to visit London in connection with his children’s exam.