The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday summoned comments from the federal government and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on a petition seeking release of Moazzam Ali Khan, a prime suspect behind the murder of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq.
A division bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar had taken up the petition filed by Sadia Bano, the suspect’s wife, against her spouse’s detention.
On Thursday, the federal law officer told the judges that he could not file comments on behalf of the federal authorities since they were not made parties in the case.
The petitioner’s counsel undertook to file the amended title naming federal government and FIA as respondents and requested the court for granting some time for doing so.
Adjourning till July 30, the court ruled that in case the amended title is filed before the next date of hearing the court office is directed to issue notice to federal government and FIA to respond to the petition by July 30.
Earlier, the petitioner had submitted that her husband was arrested on April 12 by the paramilitary troops, who had placed him under 90-day preventive detention for questioning under Section 11E of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997.
She told the judges that after the detention period of the suspect had ended on July 13 he illegally handed over to FIA officials for further interrogation about the MQM leader murder case. The woman petitioner pleaded with the judges to order the authorities to produce her spouse in court. The court was prayed to order the release of the suspect on bail.
