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Missing citizens: SHC wants report from PM’s office

KARACHI: The Prime Minister’s Secretariat was working on ascertaining the whereabouts of missing citizens and it would soon send a detailed report after collecting information from all relevant law enforcement agencies, the deputy attorney general told the Sindh High Court Friday.

The SHC’s division bench comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Amir Hani Muslim was hearing petitions against the illegal detention of several people, including a businessman, student and activists of political and religious organizations.

The missing persons are: Ali Mohammad, a religious scholar (missing since May 5, 2004), Affan Leghari, an ex-IBA student (missing since October 30, 2004), Mohammad Arif Kasmani, a businessman, (since November 29, 2005), Mohammad Alim Tariq, a pesh imam of a mosque, (since December 17 2005), Munir Mengal, a TV director of the ‘Baloch Voice’ (missing since April 4, 2006), Mumtaz Hussain, an ex-Navy officer (missing since July 3, 2006) and president of the Balochistan National Movement Quetta Ghulam Nabi Baloch and Jamhoori Watan Party Sindh President Sher Mohammad Baloch (since December 3, 2006).

In all the petitions, the law enforcement agencies are accused of arresting and illegally confining the detainees. However, the LEAs have denied they arrested or detained the missing persons.

Lt. Col Imran Yaqoob, director operational National Crises and Management Cell of the Interior Ministry, appeared before the court and submitted his statement.

He told the court that the primary responsibility of tracing missing persons rested with the provincial governments and the interior ministry continued to offer all possible help to the home departments of the provinces.

He submitted that the interior ministry was handling the detention matters following Supreme Court directives which took suo moto notice in the cases of a dozen missing citizens. He said that the whereabouts of 24 were traced while the remaining 17 could not be traced, dispelling the allegation they were detained by the LEAs.

The JWP’s Mohammad Saleem Baloch, who was recently released after 10 months’ detention, also submitted a written affidavit before the court. He alleged that he was detained by the law enforcement agencies and he accused them of maltreating and inhumanly torturing him. He expressed fear for his life and appealed to the court to provide him protection.

His counsel Noor Naz Agha informed the court that the names of Saleem Baloch along with other released JWP leaders Abdul Rauf Sasoli and Saeed Brohi have been placed on the Exit Control List by the federal interior ministry.

DAG Akhtar Ali Mehmud submitted that he would send the affidavit of Saleem Baloch to the PM’s Secretariat for appropriate action against those responsible for which he sought time.

Regarding the detention of the Baloch leaders Ghulam Nabi Baloch and Sher Mohammad Baloch, the CCPO, DSP Lyari Town and SHOs Kalri and Baghdadi filed affidavits, denying the arrest or detention of the detainees.

The court directed the federal law officer to submit the report from the PM’s Secretariat on the efforts made for the recovery of missing persons and adjourned the hearing till January 16. ppi

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