HYDERABAD: A division bench of Sindh High Court’s Hyderabad circuit on Tuesday ordered formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to look into the alleged enforced disappearance of a rights activist, Mohib Azad Leghari — an advocate by profession — who was taken away by police and some persons in civvies in Hyderabad on Sept 4. His whereabouts are still not known.

The bench comprising Justice Abdul Maalik Gaddi and Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon ordered setting up of a JIT comprising senior officials of ISI, FIA, MI and Rangers for his recovery.

Justice Gaddi ordered the authorities concerned that a notification for the formation of the JIT be issued within one week after receipt of the order and the JIT’s first session be held on Oct 1. A compliance report be submitted for court’s perusal, the order said.

The court adjourned the matter to Oct 6.

Mohib Leghari’s wife, Etrat Batool Leghari, had submitted in court that her husband was a social and human rights activist. He was secretary general of Sindh Sujagi Forum that worked for human rights, she added.

Wife tells court Advocate Mohib Leghari was taken away by a police team accompanied by some personnel in civvies on Sept 4

She said he used to visit camps set up by rights activists outside different press clubs in Sindh to support demands for the recovery of missing persons.

She informed court that on Sept 4, she along with her husband and children was coming to Hyderabad riding a motorcycle when two vehicles carrying around eight persons — some in police uniform and others in civvies — intercepted the two-wheeler near Sahib Khan Chandio village on Wanki Wasi link road. She stated that they took her husband away and also

beat her up. She further stated that she went to the Hatri police station along with her relatives to lodge an FIR (No.139/20) of the incident. She said she also informed the Hyderabad District Bar Association about it.

Ms Leghari said that the respondents be asked to recover her husband and produce him in court. She also asked for legal protection for her and her family.

Hyderabad SSP Adeel Hussain Chandio personally appeared in court in compliance with an earlier order of the court. Hyderabad DIG also submitted his statement.

In his para-wise comment, the SSP mentioned the efforts made by him to locate and recover Advocate Mohib. A copy of his statement was provided to Advocates Sachal R. Awan, Sajjad Ahmed Chandio and Meer Mangrio who are representing the petitioner.

The deputy attorney general sought time to file para-wise comments on behalf of the directors general of ISI and Pakistan Rangers, and federal secretaries of defence and interior.

The additional advocate general informed the court that the DIG had sent a letter to the home department for the formation of a JIT to ensure early recovery of the missing person but no action had been taken in this regard.

The court said that since it was a matter of serious nature and the missing person belonged to the legal fraternity, the home department was being directed to form a JIT.

In his statement, the DIG said that the SSP had been directed to make all-out efforts for the recovery of the missing person by using all modern devices, and also provide protection to the petitioner and her family members as per law. He said he had forwarded the SSP’s request to the home department for the formation of the JIT. The DIG asked that his name as respondent in this petition be excluded.

The SSP also submitted a letter in court showing formation of a special team for the missing lawyer’s recovery. The team comprised CIA DSP Ali Mohammad Mughal, Chhalgari SHO Nisar Halepoto and Hatri SI Khadim Hussain Birhamani.

He said that despite serious efforts made by the special team, no clue to the victim or his captives had been found as yet. He stated that the investigation officer of the case, along with the special team, visited Malir, Jamshoro, Matiari and Nau­shahro Feroze districts for the victim’s recovery but without any success.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2020