LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday directed the authorities to allow the family members of 14 Pakistanis released from Bagram Camp to meet their loved ones.
As the proceedings commenced, a deputy attorney general (DAG) on behalf of interior ministry told the LHC judge that 41 Pakistanis, so far, had been repatriated from Bagram Theatre Internment Camp in Afghanistan and two were still detained. He stated that 14 of them were staying in custody of the authorities from their respective provinces. The petitioners’ counsel said that the authorities were not allowing the family members to meet them. In his reply, the DAG submitted that the Interior Ministry was the proper forum for the purpose and the family members should approach the ministry. After hearing the arguments of respondents’ counsel, the judge asked the families to contact the interior ministry to meet their loved ones. Previously, Barrister Sara Bilal on behalf of the petitioners said that 23 Pakistanis had been released from Bagram Jail. She said that the court had ordered the authorities concerned to let them meet their families but they had not been allowed yet to meet their families.
She said that the Pakistan had not issued any confirmation or provided information to families of the detainees or their lawyers. She asked the court to order the government to confirm release of the citizens and make their whereabouts known to their families. The court will resume hearing on January 28 next year.–Staff Reporter