PESHAWAR:
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday issued notices to the provincial government and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) in petitions seeking the recovery of missing persons, directing them to submit replies.
Hearing the cases, Chief Justice PHC Justice SM Atiq Shah made strong remarks, stating that strict action would now be taken against every negligent police official without regard to rank.
He questioned why fingers were being pointed at the police and asked why cases should not be registered against the concerned officers. “Why are people being picked up illegally? Without any crime, weak and voiceless citizens are taken away,” the Chief Justice observed, adding that state facilities exist because even the poorest citizens pay taxes, “even on a matchbox.”
During the hearing, lawyers for the missing persons, the Additional Advocate General, Deputy Attorney General, police focal persons and others appeared before the court.
In a petition regarding the disappearance of Adnan from the limits of Town Police Station, the petitioner’s counsel alleged that police had taken his client into custody and his whereabouts remained unknown. The court issued notice to the SHO of University Town Police Station.
The bench also referred one petition to the Commission on Enforced Disappearances and ordered the IGP to conduct an inquiry in a case related to Khazana Police Station.
Emphasising protection for helpless citizens, the court reiterated that accountability would be enforced strictly in light of existing larger bench verdicts, and sought formal responses from the provincial government and the IGP in all missing persons cases.
Meanwhile, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Peshawar on Monday sought a report from NADRA regarding the verification of the accused in the case pertaining to the May 9 attack on the Radio Pakistan Peshawar building.
The provincial government has appointed Additional Advocate General Nomanul Haq as special prosecutor in the case, while the court also fixed the acquittal application filed by the accused for arguments at the next hearing.
