RAWALPINDI: Lahore High Court has directed Secretary Interior Yusuf Naseem Khokhar, Secretary Defence General retired Hilal Hussain and provincial Secretary Home Department to produce two missing brothers on next date of hearing on February 08, 2022.
Justice Shahid Mehmood Abbasi heard the petition Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench moved by heirs of Sadiq Ameen and Zahid Ameen who had been missing since last year.
Secretary Home Department appeared before the bench while Secretary Interior and Secretary Defence were absent despite court notices. Justice showing annoyance observed that if both Secretaries don’t appear court would issue adverse orders against them. Court summoning both secretaries suspended the hearing for an hour.
Later court resumed the hearing at 11 AM and Secretary Interior appeared before the court while bench was informed that Secretary Defence is ill. The medical certificate was produced in the court.
On court quarry Secretary Interior informed that he has no knowledge about both missing brothers.
Counsel for petitioners informed the court that one brother has been picked up from home while second brother was pursuing the case in courts due to that he also went missing in 2021. Both brothers were resident of Adyala road Rawalpindi and were abducted forcibly from home in presence of whole family members, lawyer informed the court.
Secretary Interior said it is a tragedy and we would try our best to address the issue but we have no powers to produce enforced missing persons. Meanwhile Deputy Attorney informed the court that two JITs have been formed at federal and provincial level. He further said that production orders of one brother have been issued while production orders of second brother would be issued on January 25.
Justice Shahid Mehmood Abbasi remarked that you can’t imagine the situation of family whose two members have been missing, adding that you all three secretaries should sit together and search both brothers and present them in court on next date of hearing on February 08.
Meanwhile Chairperson Defence of Human Rights Amina Masood Janjua said in a statement that we would continue pursuing the cases of enforced missing persons and would approach Supreme Court if needed.