Defence Secretary Lt General (r) Asif Yaseen Malik informed the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday that suspected terrorists involved in violent acts were being shifted to recently-established internment centres, where they were being interrogated.
“There is no need for the security forces to conceal facts about such suspected militants, as in the internment centres the detainees are being interrogated and tried through courts if their involvement in terrorist acts is established,” Malik said while explaining the federal government’s position in the missing persons’ case before a two-member PHC bench. The bench comprises Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan and Justice Seth Waqar Ahmad.
Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police Akbar Khan Hoti and Major Farrukh Ekram of the Frontier Corps (FC) also appeared before the court.
While giving a list of the detainees to the PHC, the defence secretary informed that 70 detainees had been shifted and locked up at the internment centre in Lakki Marwat, and 15 others at Kohat. He said that 35 persons had been released and 10 were handed over to police. Besides interrogation, the detainees are imparted education for their rehabilitation, he added. In response to a question, the defence secretary said that after setting up internment centres, there was no need to hide the arrested person. Any person facing charges is locked in the internment centres, he added. FC Major Farrukh Ekram informed that the list of all those who were either arrested or charged for involvement in terrorist acts had already been handed over to the federal government.
On the other hand, Hoti said there was no missing person in the custody of police. He also denied presence or detention of suspected militants at female police stations.
In his brief remarks, the chief justice said that security forces should keep in mind the laws regarding human rights while conducting raids and actions against the militants.
Separately, while chairing a bench hearing the targeted killing case, the chief justice directed the high ups of security forces to fulfil their responsibilities, warning them of legal action otherwise. He said the maximum share of exchequer was being spent on police but in return people were threatened by targeted killing, terrorist acts and a deteriorating law and order situation. “People or their heirs could get benefits if such a huge amount is spent on the insurance of general public,” he said, adding that the government should set up a Quick Response Force for countering frequent acts of targeted killing in Peshawar and other parts of the province.
