Sajid Gondal tells police he was in northern areas for recreation

In a surprising twist to the mystery, Sajid Gondal – the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) joint director who had went missing from Islamabad – told police that he was northern areas for a recreational tour along with his friends, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.

Gondal recorded his statement to police after his recovery in which he said he could not contact her family because his mobile phone was off.

It is said that the SECP official would now record his final statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

This claim made by Gondal goes totally opposite to the impression that he had been kidnapped as his family and civil society continuously highlighted and protested against the incident.

It is also against the reports shared by sources that he was released near Rawat, a suburb of the federal capital, on Tuesday night after which he contacted his family members through a phone call, telling them that he was well and would soon join them.

His wife, Sajeela Gondal, told reporters that he was going to the native village in Sargodha. Gondal talked to him on phone but was off again, she said and thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Islamabad High Court and media for taking notice of the issue.

However, it was later revealed that Gondal had reached at his brother’s residence where police official, SP Farooq Amjad, along with his team visited him and said he was safe and sound.

Earlier on Tuesday morning, Gondal’s parents, his wife and children as well as some other family members protested outside the Prime Minister’s Office to press for his early recovery after he went missing on 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. 

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.

Gondal had gone 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.