Contempt petition filed against Pak defence hierarchy

A contempt petition has been filed against the Pakistan defence hierarchy, including Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, by the wife of a 'missing person' for allegedly obstructing police probe to protect a military intelligence officer.
The petition was filed by Advocate Col (Retd) Inamur Raheem on behalf of Abida Malik and has named as respondents Defence Secretary retired Lt Gen Asif Yasin Malik, General Kayani, Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Rashid Mehmood and GHQ Military Secretary Lt Gen Mazhar Jameel.
The Supreme Court is already seized with an application of Abida Malik seeking production of her missing husband Tasif Ali alias Danish.

She alleged that Major Ali Ahsan known as Maj Haider was involved in the enforced disappearance of her husband, Dawn daily reported.
Tasif Ali, allegedly working for Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, went missing on November 23, 2011. He was reportedly in contact till the last call with Major Haider who was then captain and posted at the MI-918 Mangla Cantonment.
The disappearance was reported to the Sadiqabad Police Station on December 5 last year and the case was heard by the Lahore High Court on March 19 this year but was dismissed.

'Missing person' is a term usually used for those people who have been picked up by Pakistani security agencies.

Many continue to be 'missing' even after several years. Bodies of many such people have been recovered from various parts of the country.
The situation is acute in the restive Balochistan province in southwest Pakistan.
In her complaint, Abida alleged that harsh words were exchanged between her husband and the caller, believed to be Maj Haider, during a conversation on November 22 last year.
The next day her husband went to offer Juma prayers and has since been missing.
Tasif Ali had started a furniture business some time before his disappearance.
At the last hearing on November 19, the apex court was informed that Maj Ahsan was performing his duty in the earthquake-hit Awaraan district of Balochistan and efforts were being made to recover Tasif Ali.

The contempt petition pleaded that the respondents as well as MI Director General Maj Gen Naushad Kiani were responsible for impeding the process of police investigation which itself was an offence under the Pakistan Army Act, the report said.
"It clearly proves that the entire defence hierarchy is endeavouring to provide illegal protection to Maj Ahsan, thereby obstructing the due process of the court in a sub judice matter," it said.