RAWALPINDI:
The family of retired Air Marshal Javed Saeed, who was arrested from his residence last year, challenged his arrest in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday, seeking his safe recovery.
The petition was filed under Article 199 of the Constitution of Pakistan by his wife, Shazia Javed, with the federal government and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) named as respondents.
According to the petitioner, illegal and forced detention of her husband by the respondents, is in violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Pakistan and against the UN/International Charter on Human Rights, of which Pakistan is also a signatory.
The petition was filed by Advocate Inam-ur-Rehman, who pleaded that retired Air Marshal Javed Saeed reached the age of superannuation on March 18, 2021 after reaching one of the highest ranks in the PAF and serving the force with distinction.
He was allegedly abducted from his home in Sector E-9, Islamabad, on January 1, 2024, by government personnel. The police and PAF officials were contacted, and after a few weeks, the petitioner (his wife) was allowed to meet her husband.
During the meeting, an intelligence officer was present, and it was disclosed that the PAF had detained him and that the inquiry was nearly complete, with his release expected within days.
The petitioner has tried her best to approach the PAF authorities for the release of her husband but in vain, instead of releasing her husband his regular retiring pension was also stopped without any lawful justification.
Adding insult to injury the medical entitlement of the petitioner as wife of a retired PAF Officer was also unlawfully cancelled without any reason. Later, on the protest of petitioner she was allowed the medical treatment only in PAF Hospital E-9 Islamabad.
That more than a year has passed since the petitioner’s husband is in the illegal custody of the PAF authorities without due process of law. Efforts to contact senior PAF officers and arrange meetings were unsuccessful.
The retired officer’s pension was stopped, and the government-provided family health services were also discontinued, though his wife’s medical treatment was later restored. Despite this, the unlawful detention of Air Marshal Javed Saeed continues.
According to the petitioner, if there in any charge pending against the officer then the same may be proceeded before the court of competent jurisdiction in accordance with law.
