KARACHI, Dec 20: An official of the Sindh home department told the Sindh High Court on Tuesday that an IBA student, Affan Leghari, was neither arrested nor detained by any agency or department of the Sindh police.

SHC’s division bench, comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Munib Ahmed Khan, was hearing a petition filed by Ms Zahida Leghari against the alleged detention of her son by the law-enforcement agencies since October last year.

Affan is stated to have been arrested from his residence in Gulzar-i-Hijri for his alleged links with religious extremists groups.

However, a section officer of the Sindh home department denied his arrest or detention.

The comments could not be filed by the federal government and standing counsel Ziauddin Nasir sought time to do so.

The court, granting time, directed law officer to ascertain whereabouts of detainee. The next hearing has been fixed for Dec 27.

DETENTION CHALLENGED: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the provincial and the federal government law officers for Dec 28 on a petition challenging detention of a businessman allegedly by law enforcement agencies since last month.

Ms Javeria Arif Kasmani alleged that her spouse Mohammad Arif Kasmani was arrested by the law-enforcement agencies on Nov 29 when he was leaving to Lahore through a PIA flight (PK-306) for attending a meeting.

She believed that her spouse was detained by the LEAs on the directives of US agencies.

The court was prayed to direct the government to produce the detainee before the court and restrain them from harassing the petitioner and her family.

SHC’s division bench, comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Munib Ahmed Khan, after preliminary hearing of the petition issued notice to the AG Sindh and the DAG for Dec 28 and called their comments.

NOTICES ISSUED: Notices were issued to the state and other respondents, including the Sindh police, in two cases of alleged illegal detention by a division bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC), comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Munib Ahmed Khan.

The first constitutional petition was filed against alleged illegal detention of a businessman, Arif Qasmani, who went missing while going to Karachi airport on way to Lahore on Nov 29.

The bench put the state on notice after hearing Syed Nehal Hashmi advocate.—PPI/APP

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