Lahore High Court orders Pakistan's Foreign Ministry to process pleas for two detained citizens in UAE within 15 days.
Pakistan’s Lahore High Court has ordered the Foreign Ministry to process diplomatic pleas within 15 days on behalf of two Pakistani citizens detained in the UAE. The men, both linked to the opposition PTI party, have been held without clear information on charges or legal proceedings, their families say.
- ▪Justice Sadiq Mahmud Khurram issued the directive Sept. 14 in separate petitions filed by the families of Syed Salman Raza Zaidi and Muhammad Junaid Jahangir.
- ▪Zaidi went missing from his Sharjah residence Sept. 27, 2024, and was taken into custody by UAE authorities; his wife says she has received no clarity on charges or court records after nearly two years.
- ▪Jahangir was detained at Dubai airport Sept. 24, 2024, upon returning from Saudi Arabia, according to his father’s petition.
- ▪The court found the federal government and Foreign Office failed to provide effective consular protection and legal assistance to both men.
- ▪Representations on both cases had been submitted to the foreign secretary but remained unprocessed, the court heard.
- ▪The Foreign Ministry secretary must now decide the cases within 15 days of receiving a certified copy of the court order.
- ▪Petitioners sought legal and consular aid, access to judicial records, diplomatic steps for the men’s return, and a state report on actions taken.
Source: according to media reports
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