KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has directed the federal interior and defence secretaries to file their comments regarding efforts to recover five citizens who have been missing for the past several years.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto issued this direction on Saturday while hearing the case.

The bench was informed that the five men — Mohammad Furqan Khan, Ali Mehdi, Mohammad Amin, Mohammad Ilyas and Anees Ismail — were allegedly picked up by personnel of law enforcement agencies from the New Karachi, Rizvia Society, PECHS and Landhi areas.

The court was further informed that the whereabouts of the alleged missing persons were still unknown.

The court was pleaded to direct the federal and provincial authorities concerned to take steps for the early recovery of the missing persons.

The bench directed the secretaries of ministries of defence and interior to file their respective progress reports regarding efforts for their recovery.

They also directed the provincial authorities to conduct their respective joint investigation teams’ sessions for their recovery.

Hyderabad SSP told to recover ‘missing’ man

While hearing another case, the same bench directed the SHO of the Hali police station to record the statement of a petitioner and take action if a cognizable offence of alleged unlawful detention of a citizen by the law enforcement agencies was made out.

Shabana Sheikh had petitioned the SHC submitting that her nephew, Zain Sheikh, was taken away by law enforcement agencies from his house situated on Hali Road in Hyderabad on January 1.

The bench inquired from a provincial law officer about the progress in the efforts for his recovery.

The law officer submitted that no such incident had taken place within the jurisdiction of the SITE police station, Hyderabad.

On this, the petitioner’s counsel pointed out that the house of the petitioner was situated within the remit of the Hali Road police station, and apprehended that the life of the petitioner was also in danger.

The court directed the Hali Road SHO to record the statement of the petitioner and take action if a cognizable offence was made out.

The court observed that ‘the matter pertained to life and liberty of the citizen’ and directed the Hyderabad SSP to take steps for his recovery and submit a progress report on January 21.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2021