Missing persons: PHC seeks response from federal, KP govts

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday sought a response from the federal and provincial governments on the cases of two missing persons, including a jeweler from Charsadda and Tall.

PHC Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim heard the petitions During the hearing of the petition about the disappearance of Sikandar Khan from Charsadda, the petitioner informed the court that Sikandar was his son-in-law who was picked up months ago and had not yet been produced in any court.

He added that he was a school teacher and had to attend the hearing, which affected his students’ education. At this point, the chief justice remarked that representatives of the federal and provincial governments were present in court and would provide a report on the matter.

Additional Attorney General Muhammad Inaam Yousafzai informed the court that an FIR had been registered in this case. He requested the court to dismiss the petition. However, the chief justice stated that the court would continue to receive reports on the matter. He then issued notices to the federal and provincial governments.

During the hearing of the petition about the missing Umar Shah from Tall, his lawyer, Abdullah, stated that his client was picked up a year ago. The petitioner informed the court that his brother was abducted, and those responsible were demanding money for his release.

He added that goods worth 850 million rupees had also been seized, and the abductors now claimed they would release his brother but not return the confiscated goods. The PHC chief justice inquired about the petitioner’s profession, to which he responded that he was in the gold business. Since the government had not yet submitted a report on this case, the chief justice stated that an order would be issued once the report was received. The court sought a response from the federal government.