ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court expressed complete dissatisfaction over the Islamabad Police's handling of senior journalist Matiullah Jan's abduction case.
The three-judge bench of the apex court, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, found the police report unsatisfactory at the hearing on Thursday.
Time is of essence in an investigation of a criminal case as evidence disappears with each passing day, observed the bench.
The CJP wondered as to why the investigating officer did not visit relevant departments to gather information.
Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Javed Khan also conceded before the court that the police report was unsatisfactory.
The court directed the Islamabad inspector-general of police to supervise the investigation and submit a final report on the matter within four weeks.
As for the contempt of court proceedings against Jan, the senior journalist requested additional time to submit his written reply before the court.
The court adjourned the hearing for four weeks.
According to the police report, efforts are underway to trace the perpetrators behind the incident. Reports from various departments are awaited to carry out further investigation, maintained the police, which remains clueless on the matter as of yet.
Jan was abducted from the federal capital's Sector G-6 on July 21, 2020, and was released later in the day near Fateh Jang, a small town in Punjab.
A first information report (FIR) of the senior journalist's alleged abduction was lodged at Aabpara Police Station by his brother.
The senior journalist has contempt of court proceedings against him by the apex court for an allegedly 'contemptuous' tweet posted by his account regarding Justice Qazi Faez Isa's decision. The Supreme Court was scheduled to hear his case on the morrow of the said abduction.
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