ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC), Tuesday, expressed annoyance over the delay in payment of compensation to the family of a missing person, Imran Khan. A single bench of Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition of the mother of the missing person, who prayed for a safe release of her son, a computer engineer, who was working in the UAE.
The IHC directed the deputy attorney general (DAG) to ensure the implementation on the court's orders regarding payment of expenses to the aggrieved family. During the hearing, the DAG placed a letter of the Interior Ministry before the bench, wherein, a direction was issued to chief commissioner, ICT, to implement the order of the IHC regarding the payment of compensation as per the affidavit filed by the mother of the missing engineer.
As per the affidavit submitted by the petitioner, the missing engineer was drawing a salary of 3,000 UAE Dirham, equivalent to Rs120,000, at the time of his abduction in 19/5/15. In this regard, the court had already ordered that the monthly payment would be made to the family of the missing engineer till his recovery as it is the duty of state to provide security and safety to every citizen of Pakistan.
The DAG further assured the court that all efforts are being taken to trace out the missing engineer. However, the petitioner's counsel refuted the claim of the DAG and placed the production order issued by the Commission of Enforced Disappearances, wherein, it was held that on the basis of evidences collected during proceedings, Imran was picked up and taken away by the personnel of secret establishment and held in their illegal detention.
He added that para 2 of the said production order directed the concerned quarters, to produce Imran before the commission within period of six weeks, issued on 10 November 2020. The counsel argued that the order is still intact and it had attained finality as it was never challenged by the Establishment.
Expressing its annoyance, the court asked the DAG that who is responsible for the disappearance of the victim. The IHC bench said that the state is responsible for the safety and security of the citizens. It ordered that if the court's orders would not be implemented before the next date of hearing then the court would be constrained to initiate contempt proceedings against secretary interior, chief commissioner ICT, and other concerned persons.
Later, the court deferred the hearing till August 24. According to the petitioner, her son Imran Khan was picked up from his home situated at Sector G-10 of Islamabad, and was taken to some unknown location in a double-cabin vehicle five years back.
According to the petition, the family got registered an FIR with the local police after this disappearance. However, the police failed to recover the missing person despite a lapse of five years.
Then, the petitioner took up the matter with the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances and during the hearing by the commission it was concluded that the case of Imran fell under enforced disappearances and law enforcement agencies were asked to find his whereabouts. As per petition, Imran's disappearance adversely affected the life of his family members.
Imran was married and had a six-year-old son. His wife filed a suit for dissolution of marriage on the basis of Khula on the ground of prolonged absence of her husband. The family judge of Islamabad dissolved the marriage and handed over Imran's son to his mother.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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