KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued show-cause notices to the provincial secretaries of the social welfare and zakat & ushr departments for not complying with an earlier order to provide financial support to the family of a missing person.

Led by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, a two-judge bench noted that despite categorical directions issued at a previous hearing, the secretaries had failed to comply with the order.

Ms Amina had petitioned the SHC in 2017 and asserted that her son Mohammad Javed had been picked up from his house in a Malirlocality around midnight on Feb 17, 2017. His family members had approached the authorities concerned, but to no avail as he was still missing, she added.

At a previous hearing, the petitioner had informed the SHC that her daughter-in-law (wife of the missing man) got khula (divorce) from a relevant court and the family intended to arrange her second marriage to secure her future while three school-going children of the missing person were also facing difficulties for their educational expenses and overall well-being.

She also submitted that their strained financial condition prevented them from adequately meeting those obligations, necessitating intervention from the state to uphold its constitutional and moral responsibilities towards vulnerable members of the society.

Thereafter, the SHC had put both the secretaries on notice with direction to propose a reasonable and comprehensive support package to address the immediate and long-term needs of the minors and divorcee, and present actionable proposals at the next hearing.

While issuing show-cause notices to both secretaries over non-compliance, the bench adjourned the hearing till Feb 13.

Recovery of missing person ordered The same bench on Thursday directed the Senior Superintendent of Police (Malir) to recover a missing person and in case of failure, he would have to turn up at the next hearing.

Ali Ashgar recently approached the SHC and asserted that his son Khadim Hussain was taken away shortly after his arrival at Karachi airport on Jan 7, from Dubai where he had worked as a laborer.

While putting off the hearing for a date to be fixed after 10 days, the bench in its order said: `The SSP Malir shall ensure recovery of missing person. In case of failure, he shall be in attendance on next date.