Pakistan
IHC orders split-second recovery of missing citizen
Court warns Islamabad Police that failure to recover Samiullah would result in strict legal action
Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday ordered the recovery of missing citizen Samiullah in three days and warned police that failure to recover him would lead them to face strict legal action.
The injunction came during a hearing headed by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, who took on the case involving Samiullah’s disappearance from Sangjani Police Station jurisdiction.
During the hearing, officials including the Superintendent of Police (SP) Saddar, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations and Station House Officer (SHO) Sangjani were present.
Justice Kayani while asking the progress of the investigation, specifically pondered whether CCTV footage had been reviewed. The petitioner’s lawyer delineates that while the Safe City camera didn’t provide any useful evidence, the footage of the vehicle used in the abduction was available.
The vehicle was seen on camera scooping up Samiullah at the Sangjani Toll Plaza and was later observed in Red Zone, near the Judges’ Sector.
In response to concerns about possible judicial involvement, Justice Mohsin Akhtar elucidated that while the evidence didn’t advocate any judges were involved, the vehicle’s presence in Red Zone for two days was alarming.
The Assistant Attorney General solidified that the vehicle was not currently in Islamabad, prompting court to suggest it might be held by another agency.
The judge stressed that if no progress was made within 11 days, further progress on this matter is very unlikely. He ordered police a final three-day ultimatum to retrieve Samiullah, warning that if the individual was not found in this time frame, he would order a case to be filed against the Inspector General (IG).
Case was adjourned by court until July 22 and transferred it to another bench for further proceedings.