ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed authorities concerned to ensure the recovery of the missing Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Additional Joint Director Sajid Gondal till September 17.
While hearing a case related to the missing SECP official on Monday, Chief Justice Athar Minallah slammed the government for its failure to recover Gondal. “Is this a normal case?” Minallah rhetorically asked the officials present in court.
Minallah observed that the federal capital was 1,400 square miles and this small area, had its own IGP and chief commissioner. He noted that the top court of the country was also located within the federal capital.
He asked the police officials to present whether they had any idea as to how many such cases were being heard by his court. Minallah also wondered how the officials would react if a federal minister’s son went missing.
Justice Minallah observed that the PM Imran had played a crucial role in the lawyers’ movement for the supremacy of law. He asked the officials whether they had informed the prime minister what was happening in Islamabad.
Justice Minallah also asked the officials to tell the court about one case in which a missing person had been recovered by them.
The interior secretary told the court that a meeting was held today and all matters related to the evaporation were reviewed. He also assured the judge that the case was being investigated at the top level.
“Is this a case of enforced disappearance?” questioned Justice Minallah. But the interior secretary told the court that they could not say anything on the issues yet.
“If there is no rule of law in the federal capital then what does this mean?” asked Minallah. “I am confident that you would have not informed the PM about the case.” As soon as the PM gets to know about the case, the state’s response will be very different, He added.
The secretary told the court that a first information report has been registered in the case and that an investigation was underway.
Justice Minallah reminded the secretary that he was standing in front of the court as a representative of the state.
He also asked the bureaucrat if he had obtained the list of people that had gone missing from the federal capital.
To this, the police officials present told the court that the Superintendent Investigations had visited the home of the petitioner.
Gondal had gone missing on Thursday night and his car was found from Park Road the next morning.
According to the petition filed by his mother, at about 7:30 pm, Gondal went out of his home situated at Shahzad Town, Islamabad, on his official vehicle bearing registration No GAE 496, but never came back.
His car was found parked on Main Park Road, near the National Agriculture Research Centre office, Islamabad.
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