Sajid Gondal’s family stages protest outside PM Office

The family members of Sajid Gondal – the missing official of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) – on Tuesday protested outside the Prime Minister’s Office, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Gondal’s parents, his wife and children as well as some other family members were carrying placards, demanding his immediate recovery as he has been missing since Thursday night with the Islamabad Police unable to make any progress so far.

Talking to 24NewsHD TV channel, his father, who retired from Pakistan Navy as chief petty officer [the highest rank for a junior commissioned officer], said he and his wife were in their native village when the heard news.

He regretted that they had not gotten any assistance either from the SECP or the investigators. They did not have any idea why their son was targeted, he added.

Similarly, his mother said, “I must get my son back,” adding that what crime he had committed. 

Earlier on Monday, a heart-breaking video went viral on social media in which Gondal’s mother can be cursing those responsible for the abduction of her son at the Islamabad High Court premises where she along other family members attending the hearing about the incident.

Heartbreaking to listen to the cries of SECP official Sajid Gondal's mother as she curses those responsible for the "enforced disappearance" of her son. She joins so many other mothers who have suffered the same ordeal in Pakistan. The powerful are above the law in this country.. pic.twitter.com/XCcJ3qIQbN

— Bilal Farooqi (@bilalfqi) September 7, 2020

After the hearing, the IHC gave the government a 10-day time to recover Gondal albeit it had directed the government to find out his whereabouts and recover him by 2pm before the Monday’s hearing when the matter first came before the court on Saturday. 

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that the government had failed in protecting the citizens. What would it mean if there is no rule of law in the country’s capital, he questioned.

He asked the interior secretary whether he has informed the prime minister about what is happening in Islamabad. The IGP should tell if any of the persons kidnapped in the federal capital has been recovered, the chief remarked. 

The chief justice wondered whether the government would have given the same reaction if the son of any minister was abducted.

No mother should move the court in future for her missing so, he remarked and adjourned further hearing of the matter till September 17.

Earlier, Missing Persons Commission Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal – who is also the NAB chairman, took notice of the issue and sought a report from the interior secretary and the Islamabad IGP.

SECP Joint Director Gondal went missing from a spot located just 1.5 kilometres away from the Shehzad Town Police Station on the night between Thursday and Friday.

Later on Friday afternoon, a case was registered against unidentified persons by the Shehzad Town Police Station on an application filed by Gondal’s wife.

According to the FIR, Gondal had left his house around 7pm for his farmhouse located in Chak Shehzad to give some instructions to his employee but did not return.

On the next day, his car was found outside the National Agriculture Research Institute located in the Shehzad Town area with the key inserted in ignition.