PESHAWAR:
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday observed that harassing peaceful citizens would only deepen hatred, stressing that if anyone is involved in illegal activities, they should be punished according to the law.
The remarks came during the hearing of 15 petitions related to missing persons before Justice Ejaz Anwar. The Additional Advocate General, Deputy Attorney General, counsels for the petitioners, police officials, and representatives from the Home Department appeared before the court.
During the proceedings, a petitioner’s lawyer informed the court that his client’s 15-year-old son had been picked up. He said that on August 25, personnel from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and local police raided their house without female officers. On August 27, three of their houses were allegedly set on fire.
The Additional Advocate General told the court that the SHO and CTD had submitted a report stating that Sajidullah, brother of the missing person, was involved in terrorism. However, the petitioner’s lawyer argued that Sajidullah left home four years ago and the family had publicly disowned him through newspaper advertisements.
“If there is suspicion against him, legal action should be taken against him, not against the family. Burning their houses and picking up a minor is unjustified,” he said.
The court instructed the Deputy Commissioner of Bannu to submit a report on whether the petitioner’s homes were set ablaze. Justice Ejaz Anwar remarked, “Peaceful citizens should not be harassed, this only breeds hatred.”
The court later directed the federal and provincial governments, along with other concerned parties, to submit their reports in the missing persons’ cases.
Separately, PHC has issued notices to all parties in a petition filed by senior lawyer Shabir Hussain Gigyani, challenging the suspension of his legal practice license.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Dr Khurshid Iqbal heard the case and adjourned further proceedings until October 14.
