The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday ordered the Karachi Central Jail’s superintendent, deputy superintendent and assistant superintendent to appear in person before the court and describe why they had not freed a former union council (UC) nazim from prison, despite court orders for his release.
Also summoned to the SHC were Sindh prosecutor general among others to submit their comments on a constitutional petition filed regarding the missing of former Lyari UC nazim Rauf Baloch from prison. The division bench, comprising Justice Athar Muhammad Saeed and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, heard the petition filed by Nadia Rauf, wife of Baloch, seeking the recovery of her husband.
The petitioner had submitted that Baloch was arrested by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) police on September 25, 2010 and eight different crime cases including murder, attempt to murder, possession of narcotics and other charges registered against him. Later, her husband was exonerated from all charges and finally on January 17, 2011, a narcotics court had acquitted him and issued his release order. However, the jail authorities did not comply with the court order and kept him in the prison without any charges.
The plaintiff had alleged that on June 6, 2011, the prison authorities handed over Baloch to the police’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU), which took him away and has kept him at an undisclosed location. She added that the authorities concerned were approached but nothing has been done in this regard nor the police was showing any interest his arrest.
Citing central jail Superintendent Nusrat Mangan, Deputy Superintendent Khalid Sheikh, Assistant Superintendent Lala Khaliq, Sindh inspector generals of police and prisons, and Sindh Home Department among others as respondents, the petitioner had pleaded that the police authorities be ordered to produce her missing husband before the court of justice if he is wanted for any case against him.
After hearing the preliminary arguments from the petitioner’s counsel, the bench issued directives to the Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of the Karachi Central Jail to submit their explanations in person before the court, explaining why they had ignored the trial court’s directive. The court directed the respondents to submit their comments on the next hearing.
