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KARACHI, April 5: The Sindh High Court issued notices on Wednesday in a petition agitating the disappearance of a school principal on Jan 26. Petitioner Hakim Ali Hyder of Nazimabad submitted that his cousin, Saifur Rehman, principal of Iqra Darul Atfal Academy, went for work on Jan 26 but did not return.
The petitioner’s counsel, Maqboolur Rehman, apprehended that Saif might have been picked and detained by one of the law-enforcement agencies. His life might be in danger as the police were neither bringing his arrest on record nor producing him before a magistrate.
The court was requested to direct the provincial and federal authorities to produce and release the alleged detainee as he was not required in any case. The authorities should also be restrained from shifting him to another place, the counsel pleaded.
A division bench, comprising Justices Ghulam Rabbani and Maqbool Baqar, issued notices to the advocate-general and the respondents for April 13.
SAFDAR SARKI: The bench also adjourned the hearing of petitions seeking the recovery, production and release of Dr Safdar Sarki, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz secretary-general, and Abdul Rauf Sasoli, Jamhoori Watan Party deputy secretary-general.
Petitioner Munir Ahmed Sarki submitted through Advocates Nooruddin Sarki and Syed Ghulam Shah that Dr Sarki was picked up by a police officer from his Gulistan-i-Jauhar residence on Feb 24 and had not been seen or heard of since. The counsel said according to their information, Dr Sarki was being held in custody by the Inter Services Intelligence at Napier Barracks.
Federal government counsel Ziauddin Nasir said inquiries made by him from the quarters concerned belied the counsel’s contention. The bench asked him to make further inquiries and submit a more specific reply in writing on the next date of hearing on April 13.
Advocate Noor Naz Agha informed the bench that Abdul Rauf was missing since Feb 3 when five uniformed and plainclothes policemen took him away along with his car from Safari Park to an unknown place.
Gulshan TPO submitted a statement on Wednesday disclaiming any responsibility for the alleged arrest and detention. He said the detainee was not required in any case.
An official of the Pakistan Army’s judge advocate-general’s branch submitted on behalf 5 Corps, Karachi, that the alleged detainee had not been arrested or confined by any agency or official working under the corps.
