The Islamabad High Court has issued a written decision addressing the petition for the recovery of Kashmiri poet Ahmed Farhad, who has been missing since May 15.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani released a four-page judgement in Urdu, concluding that Farhad was forcibly disappeared and that state agencies have failed in their duty to recover him.
The decision highlights that Ahmed Farhad has not yet returned home. It was stated by the Ministry of Law, the federal capital police, and the attorney general for Pakistan that Farhad had been detained in connection with a case - a journey that began at the Lohi Bher police station on May 15 and entered legal jurisdiction in Dhirkot on May 19.
The court ordered that upon Farhad's return home, the investigating officer from Lohi Bher police station must record his statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The registrar's office has been instructed to consolidate all missing persons' cases and present them to the chief justice for the formation of a larger bench.
The court further directed that during the upcoming Criminal Justice Committee meeting, all security agencies should be invited to discuss the issue. Cases related to national security should be scheduled for in-camera hearings, with a larger bench set to hear these cases after receiving briefings from the heads of investigative agencies. Additionally, the larger bench is to issue orders regarding the non-reporting of these cases in the media.
The court's decision underscores the ongoing concerns regarding forced disappearances and the state's responsibility to address and resolve such cases effectively.
