HYDERABAD, Aug 6: Hyderabad circuit bench of the Sindh High Court here on Monday directed the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Karachi to ensure production of a woman, Ms. Rukhsana, before the court on August 13.

The order was passed after her counsel claimed that at the time of hearing of criminal miscellaneous application, she was not produced before the court and it appeared that the application was filed by her under duress and pressure.

Therefore, the court said, under the circumstances order dated June 25, related to issue of rule nisi for the detainee, should be repeated because the detainee is said to be in possession of a private respondent, Fazal.

The petition was filed by Manzoor Ali Junejo, citing the Home Secretary, CCPO Karachi, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Hyderabad, DPO Nawabshah, TPO Malir and SHO Malir police station, Fazal, Ali Mohammad and Lal Bux as respondents.

According to his petition, Lal Bux, Hajjan, Mohammad Bux and Manthar Ahmed forcibly entered petitioner's house in Saddar Mohallah, Sehwan Sharif and took away petitioner's sister Rukhsana, at gunpoint and an FIR was lodged with Sehwan police vide crime no 22/07 under section 365-B and 496-A PPC on March 15.

The petitioner said, when investigation began, private respondents forced her to file criminal miscellaneous application for quashment of proceedings arising out of his FIR. He said, it was stated in the application that the FIR was false and concocted against applicant's husband and other relatives who had no concern with the matter.

She said in her application that she married Fazal and Nikkah was performed on March 15, he added.

He said she further disclosed in her application, that it has been falsely alleged that the detainee married Javed Ali, a 12 years boy and was earlier forced to marry a very old man but she refused to marry on the wishes of her parents, therefore, she married Fazal of her free will.

He said, in view of the said application for quashment of FIR this court quashed proceedings initiated by him.

He said that allegations in application filed by her in her criminal miscellaneous application are not true and stated that the detainee Ms. Rukhsana had forcibly been taken away from his house at gunpoint and since then her whereabouts are unknown. He said they were searching her in order to ascertain factual position.

He said that her life is in grave danger at the hands of private respondents who had forcibly taken her away.

He maintained that petitioner and his family members would be quite satisfied if she was produced before the court and petitioner's family is allowed to meet her in court. He said her production is necessary because respondents themselves have gone into hiding as they had confined her to marry her with Fazal to punish the petitioner.

He said there is a possibility that she might have been shifted from Karachi from her present address

He prayed the court to direct official respondents to produce his sister before the court so that his family could meet her. He requested that private respondents should be restrained from causing any harm to the detainee or pressurising her for not meeting with her parents as and when produced before the court.

Opinion

Editorial

PTI in disarray
Updated 30 Nov, 2024

PTI in disarray

PTI’s protest plans came abruptly undone because key decisions were swayed by personal ambitions rather than political wisdom and restraint.
Tired tactics
30 Nov, 2024

Tired tactics

Matiullah's arrest appears to be a case of the state’s overzealous and misplaced application of the law.
Smog struggle
30 Nov, 2024

Smog struggle

AS smog continues to shroud parts of Pakistan, an Ipsos survey highlights the scope of this environmental hazard....
Solidarity with Palestine
Updated 29 Nov, 2024

Solidarity with Palestine

The wretched of the earth see in the Palestinian struggle against Israel a mirror of themselves.
Little relief for public
29 Nov, 2024

Little relief for public

INFLATION, the rate of increase in the prices of goods and services over a given period of time, has receded...
Right to education
29 Nov, 2024

Right to education

IT is troubling to learn that over 16,500 students of the University of Karachi (KU) have defaulted on fee payments...