KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday issued notices to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), police and Pakistan Rangers, Sindh on a petition seeking recovery of a “missing” person.

Afsheen Asif filed a petition through her counsel Shah Imroze Khan, seeking the court’s direction for the respondents — the provincial government, FIA, Rangers, Sindh police chief, Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), SSP-Malir, SSP-East, and SHO Sachal police station — to produce her husband, Sardar Muhammad Asif, in court.

Led by Justice Muhammad Faisal Kamal Alam, the two-judge bench issued the notices to the respondents and sought comments tilll Jan 9.

The petitioner submitted that her husband — Muhammad Asif Naqshbandi — went to a restaurant for work near Johar Complex on Dec 17, and didn’t return home.

She stated that her husband was picked up by seven to eight unknown persons who had come in two cars.

She claimed that the FIA had declared him an Afghan national and harassed him. Then her husband filed a petition before the SHC in 2023.

She alleged that the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) had lodged a case against her husband in which he was acquitted.

The counsel for the petitioner submitted that the police allegedly detained Asif without any lawful authority and any reason or justification, just for some ulterior motives and unlawful gain.

He also stated that the respondents’ subordinates were responsible for tracing the alleged missing person and submitting a report to the court.

He asked the court to direct the respondents to produce the alleged detenue before the court.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2025