Three-member commission formed to locate missing man

The directions have been issued by a single-member bench of the Islamabad High Court

ISLAMABAD: A three-member commission has been formed on the directives of a high court to recover a man who has been missing for nearly six weeks. Moreover, the commission has been directed to submit a report in this regard by April 30.

The directions were issued by a single-member bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani while hearing a petition filed by Rumaisa Afridi.

In her petition, Rumaisa stated that she and Shahmeer Afridi had eloped on February 11 this year. On March 9, she claimed that Shahmeer’s elder brother Zohaib — who is a relative of a federal minister — allegedly abducted her husband over a property dispute.

Rumaisa stated that she wrote to the city police officer, the prime minister and even the president to help recover her husband but to no avail.

She claimed that Shahmeer has allegedly been shifted him to the New Life Rehabilitation Centre where he has been confined and sedated through the forceful administration of drugs. She added that no one is allowed to meet him.

“I too am receiving threats to my life,” she claimed and urged the court to recover her husband.

During Friday’s hearing, the court summoned Lohi Bher police station house officer, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Rural assistant commissioner and the District Health Officer (DHO). The court hen formed a three-member panel comprising the assistant commissioner, the DHO and a member of the human rights cell.

This court then directed the panel to visit the rehabilitation centre to ascertain the facts and submit a report by April 30.

The case was then adjourned.

Lawyers lock courtroom

A row between a civil judge and lawyers deepened on Friday after the latter boycotted the former and called for her removal from the courts.

According to sources, Civil Judge [West] Shaista Khan Kundi confronted advocate Atif Majeed in her court and the two exchanged heated words.

The judge stated that she had given her verdict and that if the counsel feels aggrieved, he should file an appeal against it. However, Majeed called the Islamabad Bar Association Secretary Raja Yasir Shakil who arrived at the court and another heated exchange ensued.

Following this, the lawyers locked up the court from the outside while the judge left for through her chamber door.

Later, Islamabad Bar President Chaudhry Khanzada also arrived at the court. Meanwhile, other judges reportedly resorted to strike against the lawyers.

Noting the tense situation, district and sessions judges intervened and had the doors of the court unlocked.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2019.