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SC orders for info about internment centres


ISLAMABAD   -   After receiving no detail of 84 missing persons, allegedly detained by the security agencies, the Supreme Court on Monday sought information about the internment centres and their commandants today (Tuesday).A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, expressed extreme disappointment over not getting the record of 84 missing persons, who are allegedly detained in internment centres under regulations known as Action in Aid of Civil Power Regulations 2011.The court had sought information about these detainees on July 2. The bench directed Deputy Attorney General Dil Muhammad Khan Alizai to submit the required information, saying it is very insulting for the court that it could not obtain the verification of the disappeared persons even after passing an order six days ago.The court has also summoned KPK Advocate General today in this matter. Meanwhile, the court has also issued notice to AGP as well as AG Punjab regarding the matter of the enforced disappearance of Masood Janjua, husband of Defence for Human Rights (DHR) Chairperson Amina Masood.During Monday’s hearing, Justice Jawwad said that after holding the meeting with their loved ones, some heirs of detained people had told that the health of the detainees was poor and they were not allowed to get anything like clothes from their families. He made it clear that constitution allowed detainees to communicate with their families through letters and heirs could give clothes to them.During the previous hearing, the court had hinted at constituting a commission of civil society members, including DHR head Amina Masood Janjua, for visits of internment centres where missing persons are being held, to examine their condition. In March this year, the federal government had admitted before the Supreme Court that 700 suspected terrorists were in its custody under internment regulations known as Action in Aid of Civil Power Regulations 2011. These internment centres are located in Fata and Pata.The court has been expressing disappointment during daily proceedings in the missing persons’ cases that the victims’ families were being denied meeting with them in the internment centres despite the orders of the court as well as the commission.During the hearing on Monday, DAG Ali Zai told the bench that the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CIED) had submitted a list of unverified list of missing persons, who are detained. After the court’s refusal to not to entertain unverified list, DAG requested the bench to give sometime for receiving verification of these 84 persons from internment centres.Upon that, the bench expressing annoyance asked him that why this matter was not discussed in the special meeting, which was convened by AGP Muneer A Malik in last week. The DAG replied that this matter would be taken in the next meeting.Justice Khilji Arif Hussain questioned that whether the government was evolving a plan of 10 years to settle the issue of these enforced disappeared. “We are not satisfied with it at all and take this matter seriously”, Justice Jawwad told the DAG. Meanwhile, Nargis, a sister of a disappeared person - Imdad Hussain - told the bench that her brother was picked up by spies from Adiala Jail after the high court ordered his release. She stated that Imdad was detained in an internment centre in Lakki Marwat but they were not allowed to meet with him.

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