KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday directed the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency to make sure that Dua Zehra, who had gone missing from her Karachi home and surfaced in Punjab, should not be taken out of country.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Agha Faisal also put the State Bank of Pakistan and National Database and Registration Authority on notice for June 10 with direction to file reports whether bank accounts and CNICs of persons involved in this case had been blocked.

When the bench took up for hearing a petition seeking recovery of Dua Zehra on Friday, newly appointed Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon along with other senior officials appeared and filed a compliance report.

SHC recalls show-cause notice to then acting IGP Kamran Fazal

IGP Memon submitted that in the light of the previous order, he had been notified as the police chief. He added that seven teams had been sent to different parts of the country for recovery of the girl and three technical teams were also supporting them.

He submitted that he had some information and clues regarding her whereabouts, but could not disclose at this point.

Petitioner’s lawyer Altaf Khoso argued that element of human trafficking could not be ruled out and it was feared that the missing girl might be taken out of the country and pleaded to put the federation and FIA on notice.

“Meanwhile, we direct DG FIA to watch over borders of the country so that missing girl is not removed from the country and at the same time extend active coordination and cooperation to Sindh police in recovery of missing girl. If necessary, in order to thwart any chance of missing girl being taken out of the country, her CNIC be put under surveillance,” it added.

“Since new IG Sindh has been posted in the province and he has assured the court of recovery of missing girl, show-cause notice issued against Dr Kamran Fazal, [then] acting IG Sindh and directions issued to secretary establishment division are hereby recalled,” it concluded.

On May 30, the bench had sent packing Dr Fazal for not honouring its orders to produce Dua. It had also issued him a show-cause notice for contempt proceedings and also directed the establishment secretary to immediately look into the issue of the inability of the acting IGP to perform his duty and determine whether he was fit to hold a position of responsibility concerning with lives and liberty of citizens.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2022