On Tuesday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted the government four days to recover the missing poet, Ahmed Farhad.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani approved Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan’s request for a four-day adjournment to allow the federal government time to utilize all available resources for Farhad’s recovery.
Following remarks by the judge against the executive, the federal minister for law and justice held a press conference and directed the investigating officer to record a statement from an intelligence official.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Justice Kayani asked the investigating officer for an update. The officer stated he visited the intelligence agency’s office but the sector commander was unavailable. Another officer informed him that Farhad was not in their custody. When asked by the judge if he had recorded the intelligence officer’s statement under Section 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the officer said he had not. The judge instructed him to follow the Police Rules strictly.
Attorney General Awan requested additional time during the hearing, assuring the court that the government would use all resources to find Farhad within the specified timeframe. The judge reminded him of his previous commitment to the IHC and the Supreme Court that no one would go missing from Islamabad.
Petitioner’s counsel Imaan Mazari questioned the effectiveness of the spy agencies if they could not locate missing persons. The judge expressed hope that Farhad would be found within a week. The next hearing is scheduled for Friday, May 24.
Baloch Missing Persons
Earlier, in the case of Baloch missing persons, Justice Kayani emphasized that judges, lawyers, journalists, parliamentarians, and spy agencies must act within the law. When asked about the number of people arrested, harassed, or missing over the past decade, AGP Awan stated that a report was being prepared.
Justice Kayani suggested that clarifying the working procedures of intelligence agencies would be beneficial. He noted that, by law, the police and FIA are authorized to conduct investigations, while intelligence agencies can only assist.
Justice Kayani reiterated that no Pakistani, including journalists or parliamentarians, supports terrorists, and institutions are not prevented from working legally.
The AGP acknowledged that resolving the issue politically is crucial. Justice Kayani remarked that recognizing the political nature of the issue is important and that mistakes should be learned from to move forward.
The judge commended AGP Awan for his dedication, noting that this was the twenty-first hearing of the case and several missing students had been recovered due to the attorney general’s efforts. Justice Kayani humorously inquired where to find more people like AGP Awan who can solve problems, to which Awan replied that it was a difficult question to answer.
