IHC judge directs federal govt and consul general of Pakistan in Dubai to take up the matter of a Pakistani who went missing in Dubai since March 2, 2014
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the federal government to officially take up the matter of a missing Pakistani with the Government of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi remarked that the state is duty bound to protect the life and liberty of citizens therefore, the federal government and consul general of Pakistan in Dubai are directed to officially take up this matter with the Government of Dubai, UAE.
He also directed the consul general to nominate a focal person to negotiate the matter with Dubai officials and to facilitate the petitioner in search of his missing son.
A single bench of the IHC comprising Justice Qureshi resumed hearing of a plea filed by Qurban Raja, through his counsel Barrister Afzal Hussain, seeking direction for the Foreign Affairs Secretary and Pakistan Consul General in Dubai to officially take up the case of Omer Mateen, who has been missing from Dubai since March 2, 2014.
During the course of the hearing, standing counsel and representative of the Foreign Ministry informed the court that they have sent three letters dated April 8, 2014 and May 5, 2014 to the Foreign Ministry of UAE in this regards, however, they have not received any reply from the UAE Foreign Ministry till today.
Barrister Hussain appraised the court that the delay of approximately five weeks in sending first letter and inaction after sending the last reminder two months back, reflects the indifferent attitude of the public functionaries.
He informed the bench that on March 2, 2014, Mateen, an accountant, had gone to the bank in the company’s hired car, along with driver Aamir Khan for encashment of two cheques of AED 1.5 million without a security guard.
After encashment, the petitioner’s son did not reach office and went missing.
The driver stated that after dropping Mateen in front of the bank, his car had an accident and caught fire so he left the car and went to the hospital for burns treatment.
The driver’s most recent statement is that Mateen came out of the bank and gave him AED 100,000 and went away.
The hearing of the case was adjourned till a later date.
