ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) hinted to initiate contempt proceedings against secretaries of Ministry of Interior and Defence, the IGP, Islamabad, and the DG FIA for being unable to recover the missing brothers of social media activist Azhar Mashwani.
A single bench of Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, on Tuesday, heard the petition filed by Qazi Habibur Rehman, father of Professor Mazharul Hassan and Professor Zahoorul Hassan and sought the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus for the recovery of his sons who have been missing since June 6.
The bench directed the secretaries of Ministry of Interior and Defence, the IGP, Islamabad, and the DG FIA to appear before the court.
During the hearing, the assistant attorney general (AAG) accompanied by the State counsel, as well, as Lt Col Zahid Hussain, Law Officer, Ministry of Defense and Kazim Hussain, Law Officer, ICT Police appeared before the court and they were in unison on their submission that “the whereabouts of the detenues are not known.”
Justice Miangul Hassan said that there was a clear and unequivocal direction given by this court vide order dated 09.08.2024 to the respondents to produce the detenues before this court.
He added, “Neither has the said order been complied with nor has any document been brought on record to show that any effort was made by the respondents to locate the whereabouts of the detenues.
“This, in my prima facie view, is contumacious defiance of the direction issued by this Court in its order dated 09.08.2024, warranting proceedings for contempt of Court to be initiated against the respondents. Therefore, I deem it appropriate, to direct the Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Secretary, Ministry of Defense, the Inspector General of Police, Islamabad and the Director General, Federal Investigation Agency to tender appearance in person before this Court on 15.08.2024 and explain as to why proceedings for contempt of Court should not be initiated against them,” maintained the judge.
He also asked the Attorney-General for Pakistan (AGP) to attend the court on August 15.
In this matter, the petition stated that the detenues’ brother, Azhar Mashwani, is a “human rights and social media activist and focal person of founding Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi”.
It added that the detenues have been missing since 06.06.2024.
In the instant petition, it has also been pleaded that armed personnel from the Counter Terrorism Department along with intelligence officers in plain clothes had abducted the detenues from their house in Lahore.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024