The Sindh High Court has expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation reports regarding the recovery of six missing individuals from various areas of Karachi. During a hearing led by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, the court emphasized that citizens’ freedoms, guaranteed by the constitution, cannot be compromised.
The petitioner’s lawyer highlighted that Mohammad Tahir has been missing from the New Town area since 2018, while Ali Bahadur disappeared from the Korangi Industrial Area in 2023. Other missing persons include Mohammad Imran from Malir Cantonment, Mir Ahmed from Sohrab Goth, Majid Ali from Gulistan-e-Johar, and Tahir Zaman from New Town.
The investigative officer reported that several Joint Investigation Team (JIT) and Task Force meetings had taken place, and letters had been dispatched to prisons and institutions nationwide. However, the court expressed frustration at the lack of tangible results, with Justice Phulpoto stating that conventional reports would not suffice.
A government lawyer informed the court that the families of the missing individuals had been offered financial assistance, which they declined. The families emphasized their primary concern was the return of their loved ones, with one member noting, “We pay more in taxes than the government offers in aid.”
The court underscored the need for more effective actions to locate the missing individuals and reiterated that there can be no compromise on citizens’ constitutional rights. Earlier sessions of the Sindh High Court had also raised concerns about the issue of enforced disappearances, demanding to know the reasons for such actions and the whereabouts of the missing citizens.
The special public prosecutor indicated that a declaration of forced disappearance does not imply any institution has confirmed the disappearance or detention. The court then questioned the criteria and legal framework under which individuals are declared missing, seeking clarity on the procedural aspects involved.
