IHC summons defence, interior secretaries in Kashmiri poet disappearance case

Ordering the secretary defence and the secretary interior to appear in the court at 3:00 PM tomorrow in person, Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani on Monday hinted at summoning the DG ISI and the DG MI if Kashmiri poet Ahmad Farhad was not recovered, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

During the hearing of the petition, seeking the recovery of the poet who had gone missing a week ago, an official of the Ministry of Defence told the court that the ministry had contacted the ISI to know whether the man was in their custody, but the agency denied.

In response, the judge said he would summon defence and interior secretaries tomorrow. “This matter is now beyond the ISI’s domain,” he said, adding, “This is a failure on their part that they cannot do that lies in their jurisdiction.”

He lamented that the country’s intelligence agencies were not interested in doing their own work.

Justice Kiani said there was no need for these agencies if they could not restrict themselves to what they were supposed to do. “After that, I will summon the minister for defence and the minister for interior.”

And then, he went on to say, he would summon the prime minister and all cabinet members. “Let me tell you that the matter is not that simple,” he remarked.

“What is this that the agencies knock at people’s doors and pick up a man they are looking for?” the judge questioned.

Justice Kiani made it clear that anybody found guilty of any wrongdoing would not go unpunished. “I want the man back come what may,” he said emphatically, adding, “Go and tell the DG ISI that I want the man back.”

Speaking on the occasion, Imaan Hazir Mazari, counsel for the poet’s wife, who is a petitioner in the case, told the court that she had received a call in which the person making the call told her to withdraw the petition, adding that Farhad would soon return home. “The man also asked me to tell to the court that the poet had gone of his free will,” the lawyer informed, adding that since Farhad did not return, my client decided not to take the petition back.

Justice Kiani questioned whether Farhad was a terrorist who had come from India or he was involved in kidnapping for ransom.

SSP Operations Islamabad Jameel Zafar replied in negative. “No sir, this is not the case,” he said.

The additional attorney general prayed to the court to give him time until tomorrow to submit his reply in the case.

Reporter: Ihtesham Kiani