A report was requested by the Sindh High Court regarding the progress on pleas pertaining to more than 100 missing persons from the home department, police, and other relevant departments by April 25.
The performance of police was criticized during the hearing of missing persons case by the two-member bench comprising of Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto and Justice KK Agha. “Many years have passed but the police failed to trace the whereabouts of the missing persons,” Phulpoto remarked. He questioned the police officers that where were the missing persons and are they alive or in graves? He also said that it’s the incompetence of the investigation officers (IOs). He further added that the families of these people are in grief and they keep cursing the legal system while the police officers are not putting any efforts in this investigation and such people are not worthy of holding positions in the police.
“Court may write to the home secretary to sit in the court for a day and then see what these police officers do,” said Justice Phulpoto. He further said that the provincial task force which was established to look into missing persons cases is very incompetent and despite holding many meetings with the investigation teams, there is still so much ambiguity regarding the missing persons. According to the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) report, the travel history could be obtained of those people who do not have identity cards.
The FIA director was summoned by the court and the court further directed the additional IG to appoint SP level officers for investigation of a missing person, Abdul Qadir.
The case of Rs5.76 billion corruption reference in the information department was heard by the same bench and asked for a new progress report by accountability court on the bail plea of former secretary Zulfikar Shalwani.
RD Kalor, a prosecutor of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) failed to convince the court through his arguments. The IO for the case was also absent during the court hearing.
NAB prosecutor was criticized by the court and asked for a progress report from the accountability court. The court stated that the trial was being delayed again and questioned the absence of witnesses. Advocate Raj Wahid, the lawyer of accused said, “In three years NAB presented 11 out of a total of 23 witnesses, and the former information secretary was in jail for the past two-years and orders should be given for my client’s release.”
The SHC has asked for arguments from the counsel for the accused on April 18, in the case pertaining to corruption in Thatta district under the guise of teaching staff’s allowances. The case in which NAB presented a progress report was heard by a bench comprising of Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Shiekh and Justice Omar Sial. The reported presented showed that Rs60 million were transferred in the personal accounts of the accused as allowances. The investigation against the suspects has been completed and seven people have been nominated in the case.
The CJ asked about the current posting of the accused and it was stated that they had been dismissed from their posts. The CJ replied to this, “Should we appoint you at the national exchequer for plundering more”.
