KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Thursday directed the Federal Investigation Agency to file its comments on a petition of the wife of Khalid Shamim, a recently arrested key suspect in the murder of Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Dr Imran Farooq, against his possible extradition.

A division bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar also issued a notice to the federal law officer and adjourned the hearing to July 8.

Petitioner Beena Khalid approached the SHC against possible transfer abroad of her husband for interrogation.

According to the Frontier Corps, Mr Shamim, who had been missing since 2001, was arrested with another suspect, Mohsin Ali, four days ago near the Pakistan-Afghan border in Chaman.

The woman stated that her husband had been missing since 2001 and now the authorities had shown his arrest in Chaman.

The petitioner said that there was no extradition treaty between the two countries and asked the court to restrain the federal authorities from transferring her husband to Britain for interrogation.

KMC employees’ salary case

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s administrator, financial adviser and others to submit their replies over the non-payment of salaries and pensions to the KMC and DMCs employees.

The bench was hearing an application filed by KMC employees’ Sajjan Union against the authorities for flouting court orders regarding payment of salaries and pensions to the employees of the KMC and DMCs.

Their counsel, Advocate Nadeem, told the judges that thousands of the employees of the KMC and DMCs, including fire brigade department staff, had not been paid salaries owing to delay in the release of a special grant.

He said the provincial government had failed to release the funds on time despite repeated directives of the court.

The counsel submitted that the unpaid KMC employees were facing hardship and were unable to feed their families in the month of Ramazan.

He asked the court to direct the authorities to make payment of salaries to the KMC and DMCs employees, including pensioners, within the stipulated time.

Missing persons’ case

A division bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar directed the home secretary to constitute a joint investigation team to inquire into the allegations of detention of two citizens by law enforcement officials.

The bench gave the directive while hearing two separate petitions seeking the whereabouts of as many men.

Petitioner Muhammad Qamar submitted that his son, Arsalan Qamar, had been missing since April 4.

He submitted that he had approached the police station concerned to seek information about his son, but to no avail as the police refused to give any clue to his son’s whereabouts.

The petitioner said he also contacted the Rangers authorities, who also feigned ignorance about the arrest and detention of his son.

Petitioner Mohsin Zafar submitted that his son Ali Asad Mohsin with his co-worker Fahad Shah was taken away by police personnel from his workplace on April 4, but their whereabouts were still unknown.

He asked the court to direct the law enforcers to produce them in court.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2015

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