Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the Islamabad High Court has summoned officials from various intelligence agencies, including ISI and MI, along with the director of the Intelligence Bureau and the Law Minister, in a case concerning the disappearance of Kashmiri poet Ahmed Farhad Shah.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded Shah’s immediate release after he was allegedly abducted on May 15. Justice Kayani had previously requested a report from the defence secretary regarding the involvement of intelligence agencies in Shah’s disappearance.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the defense secretary’s response, the judge called on intelligence agencies to clarify their role. The Attorney General submitted a report stating the defense secretary was ill, prompting the judge to order the AGP to ensure Shah’s recovery within four days.
Despite the absence of the ISI sector commander, the court was informed that Shah was not in ISI custody. AGP Awan and Islamabad IG Ali Nasir Rizvi appeared in today’s hearing.
The hearing
During the hearing, the AGP mentioned the availability of some call detail records to trace Shah, prompting Justice Kayani to question the state’s effectiveness.
The judge emphasized the state’s responsibility to recover the missing person, insisting that it would otherwise be a failure. He ordered the defense secretary to explain the workings of ISI in the next hearing and stressed the importance of transparency in institutions.
Justice Kayani indicated a broader mechanism for missing persons across Pakistan. He also discussed media reporting on court proceedings and announced plans for live-streaming missing persons cases.
Regarding Shah’s case, the SSP informed the court about tracing Shah’s location and involvement of the Intelligence Bureau. Justice Kayani expressed dissatisfaction with the missing person commission’s performance and questioned the lack of accountability in intelligence agencies.
He ordered the recording of the ISI sector commander’s statement and emphasized their accountability akin to a police SHO.
