Sindh High Court (SHC) has raised serious concerns over handling missing persons’ cases, highlighting allegations of police misconduct and investigative shortcomings.
During a recent hearing, the mother of missing citizen Musawir Shah emotionally recounted threats she received from police officials when seeking information about her son's whereabouts. She alleged that Assistant Sub-Inspectors Muhammad Khan and Tufail warned her that filing a court petition would ensure her son would not be returned.
The court directed her to submit a written complaint naming the officers involved. Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput emphasized the importance of proper documentation, stating that statements must bear the signatures of the recording officer to verify their authenticity.
The SHC criticized the police for failing to produce a Call Detail Record (CDR) for missing person Fawad. The court summoned the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Central to appear with the report, questioning the delay in obtaining the CDR despite a request being made over a month prior.
The court also examined the cases of missing brothers Iqbal and Hassan, noting that their mobile phone locations were last traced to Kasur before their numbers became inactive.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the investigative officers' performance, Justice Rajput questioned their qualifications and understanding of legal procedures. He pointed out deficiencies in statement recording and the lack of proper documentation, urging state counsel to clarify the legal standing of unsigned statements.
Despite some progress, such as the return of missing individuals Imran and Zaheer from Korangi, the SHC remains concerned about the overall effectiveness of police investigations into missing persons cases. The court has requested updates on several cases in the coming weeks.
