Pak SC orders spy agencies to produce missing prisoners

Islamabad, Jan 31 (ANI): Pakistan's Supreme Court has directed chiefs of spy agencies to produce the seven missing prisoners, who were picked up outside the Adiala Jail after their release on February 9, 2010.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heard the constitutional petition of Rohaifa, the mother of three of the prisoners, one of whom had died in custody.

Expressing concern over the mysterious death of four missing prisoners, the court sought a reply, explaining the circumstances under which the four had died and directed filing the charges against them and directed the counsel for the director generals of the ISI, Military Intelligence and JAG Branch, Raja Muhammad Irshad, to produce the remaining prisoners of Adiala Jail on the next hearing.

The counsel requested the court that some time be given to file a comprehensive reply on the petition regarding death of four missing prisoners. He said that he had been engaged only two days ago.

He denied that four prisoners died in the custody of agencies, however, said the remaining missing prisoners were under the custody of the provincial government.

Chaudhury, expressing his annoyance, asked him to go and produce the prisoners today because the court was told that the 11 missing prisoners were under the custody of spy agencies and they were being tried under the Army Act.

"Raja, the Supreme Court is directing you to produce them. We have given the custody of the prisoners to you (agencies) and now you produce them no matter from where you bring them," he said. (ANI)