SHC declares reports on missing persons 'unsatisfactory'

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday declared the report submitted by police in missing persons cases ‘unsatisfactory’ and directed the interior secretary to intervene in the matter, ARY News reported.

A single bench of Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto heard the cases related to more than 10 missing persons.

At the outset of the hearing, Justice Phulpoto observed the authorities were given a month for the recovery of the missing persons. “What steps were taken in the said period,” the SHC bench asked while terming the police reports ‘unsatisfactory’.

Letters were penned to various state institutions in the cases, but no response has been received yet, the investigation officer (IO) informed the court.

Read more: SHC rejects police report in four ‘missing persons’ case

SHC while ordering the interior secretary to intervene in the matter, adjourned the hearing on the pleas related to missing persons for a month.

In the last hearing of the case, Justice Naimatullah Phulpto remarked “If the police and administration had nothing in hand, then we would summon the prime minister.”

Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto also stressed the need to use modern devices to search missing persons instead of traditional investigation methods. “This is the age of modern devices to inquire into cases,” the bench observed.