In a pivotal turn of events regarding the abduction case of poet Ahmed Farhad, the Islamabad High Court has issued a written order summoning key officials from Pakistan’s intelligence agencies. Sector commanders from Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI), as well as the director of Intelligence Bureau (IB), have been called upon to appear before the court, along with the interior secretary, defence secretary, law minister, and law secretary on May 29.
The order, issued by IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, seeks a progress report on the investigation into Farhad’s disappearance. During the hearing, the Inspector General (IG) and the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) briefed the court on the ongoing investigation, disclosing that the abductor’s location has been traced. They assured the court of imminent action to apprehend the perpetrators.
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However, the court expressed concern over the absence of a statement from the sector commander and criticized the lack of transparency in the response received from the Ministry of Defence. Justice Kayani stressed the need for intelligence agencies to operate within constitutional boundaries and advocated for enhanced accountability mechanisms.
Emphasizing the significance of public interest in the case, the court allowed the proceedings to be reported and mandated live streaming of all missing persons cases to raise awareness. Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, appearing in court, took responsibility for Farhad’s recovery and mentioned the utilization of call detail records in the search efforts.
To ensure a thorough understanding of ISI operations, Justice Kayani instructed the defence secretary to provide clarification and appointed senior journalist Hamid Mir and others as judicial assistants to assist in the case.