PHC disposes of plea seeking recovery of missing person

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday disposed of a petition seeking the recovery of a missing young man, advising the petitioner that they were free to register a case against any institution or individual if they wished to do so.

PHC acting Chief Justice SM Atiqque Shah heard the case.

During the hearing, the chief justice remarked that the court’s jurisdiction was limited, stating, “We sought reports from institutions, and they informed us that your brother is not in their custody.”

The petitioner, along with his lawyer, appeared in court, while Additional Advocate General Inam Yousafzai and Deputy Attorney General Ubaidullah Anwar represented the government. The petitioner claimed that his 25-year-old brother was taken away a year ago. He stated that his brother was forcibly taken in a double-cabin vehicle and that the police initially informed him that the Counter-Terrorism Department had detained him.

However, Inam Yousafzai told the court that the police had no record of the missing person, while Ubaidullah Anwar submitted a report stating that no federal or intelligence agency had his custody either.

The chief justice questioned, “What could be the reason? No one can be taken away without justification.”

The petitioner informed the court that in November 2019, a CTD officer was martyred, and his brother was named as a suspect in the case. However, he was later acquitted by the court. He alleged that the martyr’s sons had also attacked him. “With due respect, now the court asks us who took him?” he remarked in frustration.

The chief justice responded by noting that the situation had changed in recent years. “Parties do not reveal the truth to this court. We present the reports we receive before you. If you want to file a case against any institution or person, you may do so.”