PESHAWAR, June 5: Family members of a man, allegedly picked up by an intelligence agency about three months ago for having links with a banned group, are going through a hard time with his parents, children and other relatives waiting for his release.

The detainee, Hayat Khan, who is about 30, was arrested at the Islamabad International Airport on March 12 while going to Dubai for work.

His father, Noor Mohammad, has requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, to take notice of what he calls illegal detention of his son by an intelligence agency.

Noor Mohammad, who is about 75 and bed-ridden, told Dawn his son was the only bread earner of the family and after his disappearance they had been facing financial crisis.

Five children of the detainee were also sitting around their grandfather at their small home at Serki Gate here. Noor said the children had often been crying for their father and their mother had told them that he was in Karachi.

“I miss my father. Mother told me he is in Karachi and will return soon,” said Awais Khan, six-year-old son of Hayat Khan.

A few months ago, a brother-in-law of Hayat Khan had died and now his sister and her small children are also dependent on him.

Narrating his ordeal, Noor Mohammad said he had worked as an operator of heavy machinery in Dubai for about 25 years and when he was returning home in late 1990’s, the company employed his son in his place.

He said when Hayat Khan came back in 1999, he was charged with the murder of assistant inspector general of police Farooq Haider. He added that Hayat Khan was granted pre-arrest bail and was finally acquitted by the anti-terrorism court.

Noor Mohammad said some members of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba were friends of Hayat Khan but he was himself not involved in any sort of anti-state or terrorist activity.

“About one year ago, a police party, along with some officials of an intelligence agency, raided our home and enquired about Hayat Khan, but as he was not home they left,” He said.

Noor Mohammad said that keeping in view his uncertain future here, Hayat Khan decided to rejoin his company in Dubai and got a visa. Had his son been involved in any thing illegal, he would not have obtained a passport in his real name but since he was not charged in any case, he got the visa through original documents,” he maintained. At the time of his arrest, his children and friends were also present at the airport.

When asked whether he had moved any court for his son’s release, Noor Mohammad said the detainee had not been produced in any court. He added that he had contacted some lawyers, but they had told them that filing of a petition in the high court would be of no use because scores of people had been missing in identical cases and courts could not provide any relief to them.