An Open Letter To The Prime Minister Of Pakistan
I am writing the story on behalf of an aggrieved family from Shabqadar, Pakistan, whose family member Muhammad Shahid is languishing in the jail of SriLanka since the last five years without any evidence or case proven against him.
Muhammad Shahid, resident of Shabqadar District Charsadda, along with his colleagues, was apprehended by the Colombo Police from a hotel on 9th December 2010, on charges of possessing narcotics. They were remanded after being presented before the Magistrate Court of Maligakanda under the case no. 43265/2010.
However on 7th July 2011, the colleagues of Muhammad Shahid who were arrested on same charges, were released on the advice of the Attorney General of SriLanka. But Muhammad Shahid was not released – he is still behind bars without any case proven against him. In the last four years, no evidence has been presented against him by the narcotics prosecution: the reason for which is obvious as the narcotics prosecution does not have any evidence against him. Prosecution is dilly-dallying the case as it fears that if the last suspect, Shahid, is proved innocent, then the court will take action against the Narcotics Bureau of SriLanka.
The last hearing of the case took place on 18 November 2015, but the narcotics prosecutor did not appear as usual. So the court adjourned the case till January 2016.
The family of Muhammad Shahid is a poor family. His elder brother Irshad Khan did the best he could for soliciting the Government of Pakistan’s assistance for his brother, but their response has been impassive. Irshad Khan visited SriLanka twice to arrange legal assistance for his brother. For financing his visits, the aggrieved family sold their sole commercial property in the village. Now they have no source of income.
Muhammad Shahid’s brother Irshad Khan, during his visits to SriLanka, met officials at the High Commission of Pakistan and the Attorney General’s Office of SriLanka. But they were unamenable and uncooperative to provide legal assistance for Muhammad Shahid. Then Irshad Khan arranged a local lawyer to plead the case at court for his brother Muhammad Shahid. But the counsel named Wasantha Pitigala after taking case fee, had no interest in pleading the case at court.
Irshad Khan also raised this issue with parliamentarians and foreign office officials in Islamabad, but all of them only gave false hopes.
Through this letter, the aggrieved family wants the intervention of the Prime Minster of Pakistan. The SriLankan Government should be requested to release the last suspect Muhammad Shahid, as no evidence has been presented against him in last four years.
The brother of Muhammad Shahid, Irshad Khan can be contacted on his mobile number: +92-3339155383, while I can be contacted via email: [email protected]
On behalf of aggrieved family,
Taimur Ali Khan Mohmand
Attorney at Law.
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