PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday issued notices to the provincial government and the inspector general of police after hearing multiple writ petitions seeking the recovery of missing persons.
The court referred two cases to the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, while disposing of one petition after the recovery of the missing individual.The hearing was conducted by a bench headed by Chief Justice SM Attique Shah.During proceedings, lawyers representing the missing persons, Additional Advocate General Nauman Haq Kakakhel, the police focal person, and Deputy Attorney General Atif Nazir appeared before the court.
In the case of Tahir Fareed from Kohat, his counsel informed the court that CCTV footage of the alleged abduction was available.Producing the footage, the lawyer stated that the petitioner was taken from his home at around midnight, allegedly by local police and CTD personnel.
The chief justice observed that the faces in the footage were clearly visible. He directed the Advocate General’s office to produce the officials in court if they were indeed police personnel. Relevant CTD officials and the SHO were also ordered to appear.
In another case, concerning Amir Hamza from Mardan, the petitioner’s counsel told the court that his client was picked up by CTD personnel immediately after being released from jail premises.
The chief justice questioned the evidence supporting the claim. The lawyer responded that local police had informed them about CTD involvement and that CCTV cameras installed in the jail could verify the claim. The court referred the matter to the commission, directing it to examine the CCTV footage.
Similarly, in the case of Kashif Usman from Charsadda, the petitioner’s counsel alleged that CTD personnel had taken his client into custody.He argued that if the arrest had been lawful, the relevant police station should have been informed.
The chief justice instructed the lawyer to present concrete evidence, stating that the commission would review the material and, if the allegations were proven, a first information report (FIR) would be registered. The case was subsequently referred to the commission.Meanwhile, Amin Akbar, a missing person from the jurisdiction of Police Station Inqilab in Peshawar, appeared in court after being recovered, along with his mother.
She thanked the chief justice for her son’s recovery. Amin Akbar told the court that he had been detained by Station House Officer Ahmad Jan and requested that an FIR be registered against the police.The chief justice directed him to submit a formal application for the registration of the case, assuring that appropriate orders would be issued.
