Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan Tuesday assured the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to recover the abducted Kashmiri poet within next two to four days.
According to the 24News HD TV channel, IHC judge Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani heard the abduction case of a Kashmiri poet and after assurance of the attorney, adjourned till Friday, May 24.
During the hearing of the case, Attorney General Mansoor Awan assured the judge, "I take responsibility and will recover Ahmed Farhad".
On this, Justice Kiani remarked that make sure that someone from Islamabad is not picked up. The justice also said if the abducted poet does not recover, it will be a failure of the state.
The justice asked have the police recorded anyone's statement?
In reply, the SSP told the court, they have been given a written statement by the Ministry of Defence.
Justice Kiani also asked about the legal status of the statement under Section 161 and added that the police know what they have to do, the court will not interfere in the investigation.
Counsel of the petitioner told the court that whenever the defense secretary was summoned he does not appear.
On this, Justice Kiani said this is the thing that has to be finished, everyone will appear when called by the court. If the Prime Minister can come to the court, then everyone can come, no one is bigger than him, Justice Kiani said. He ordered that the Secretary's appearance in the court at the next hearing should be ensured.
During the yesterday hearing, ordering the secretary defence and the secretary interior to appear in the court Justice Kiani hinted at summoning the DG ISI and the DG MI if Kashmiri poet Ahmad Farhad was not recovered
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