LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday extended its stay order against possible deportation of the former vice president of Pak-Turk Schools and his family for two more weeks, as the federal government said law-enforcement agencies were asked to locate whereabouts of the allegedly abducted Turkish nationals.

As the court resumed hearing of two identical petitions, a law officer on behalf of the Interior Ministry stated that letters had been written to all law enforcement agencies to locate the whereabouts of the missing Turkish family. He sought time to file a detailed report on the matter.

Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza allowed the request and adjourned hearing for two weeks.

The judge was hearing a petition moved by Mr Orhan Uygun, a colleague of Mr Mesut Kacmaz who was allegedly abducted from his Wapda Town residence along with his wife and two daughters.

The petitioner through his counsel Asma Jahangir submitted that the government through the attorney general had undertaken before the court last year that the Turkish employees of Pak-Turk Schools would not be deported till Nov 24.

However, he said Mr Kacmaz and his family were abducted by unidentified persons from their house and there was a likelihood they would soon be deported in violation of the court’s order. He said police were also reluctant to register a case of abduction. He asked the court to stop the Interior Ministry from deporting the Turkish family.

The second petitioner, Mr Murat Ervan, pleaded through his counsel that Turkish educationists had sought asylum in Pakistan under the protection of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR).

The incumbent Turkish government resorted to persecution of employees associated with Pak-Turk Schools system on political grounds. He stated that the educationists had been abducted and subjected to forced deportation in violation of the government’s undertaking before the court.

He asked the court to restrain the government from possible extradition of his family and also place their names on Exit Control List.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2017