The Islamabad High Court (IHC) expressed serious concerns regarding the ongoing disappearance of two brothers of PTI leader, Azhar Mashwani, during a hearing on Tuesday.
Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb remarked that the government appears to be the beneficiary of enforced disappearances, as people vanish without a trace and the Chief Executive takes no action.
The court heard the petition filed by Azhar Mashwani’s father, seeking the recovery of his two missing sons, who have been missing since June. The Additional Attorney General, Manzoor Iqbal Dogal, and the petitioner’s lawyer, Babar Awan, appeared before the court.
Justice Aurangzeb questioned the progress made in the investigation, to which the Additional Attorney General responded that high-level contacts had been made and efforts were ongoing.
Babar Awan, in his arguments, highlighted the lack of clarity regarding the definition of “national interest” in Pakistani law. He argued that while laws address sedition and incitement, they fail to define what constitutes “national interest.” He expressed confidence that the missing brothers would be recovered.
The Punjab Police, represented by the SP, informed the court that they had received CCTV footage from the family, but the low resolution prevented identification through NADRA or forensic analysis.
Despite obtaining geolocation data from 10,000 numbers, no leads have been found. The Safe City Project, they explained, does not cover all angles.
Justice Aurangzeb, expressing his frustration, stated that the government appears to be the beneficiary of enforced disappearances. He questioned how people can be abducted in the country without any action from the Chief Executive.
He recalled that the Attorney General had promised to brief the Prime Minister on the matter, but despite the Chief Executive’s knowledge, people continue to disappear.
Awan pointed out that the Prime Minister has no time to read the court’s orders.
The court, after hearing the arguments, ordered the Punjab Police to submit a detailed report on the progress of the investigation by the next hearing. The case was adjourned until Tuesday.
