The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday directed the interior secretary to place the case regarding the kidnapping and recovery of Advocate Hammad Saeed Dar before Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying that abduction of a lawyer in Islamabad was a very serious matter and gravely concerns the law enforcement.
Advocate Dar was whisked away from his home in the wee hours of Saturday but appeared in court on Monday after the IHC told the Islamabad inspector general of police through a notice that he will have to appear in person before the court on Monday if the police fail to rescue the lawyer.
Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued a written order while hearing the case filed by Sufyan Saeed Dar, who was seeking his son’s recovery.
The hearing, besides Advocate Dar, was attended by Islamabad DIG Operations Waqaruddin Syed, SP Saddar Sarfraz Virk, SP Investigation Malik Naeem and others.
In the written order, Chief Justice Minallah reiterated that the government should set an example from this case and assure the citizens that violation of their rights will not be tolerated.
The court also directed IG Islamabad to ensure effective investigation into the kidnapping case and sought a detailed report from the police within 10 days.
In his statement at the court, Dar maintained that the kidnappers blindfolded him before dragging him to a car. After a drive of 20-25 minutes, he was taken out of the vehicle and shifted to a small room.
The court inquired about the police action in this regard. DIG Waqaruddin apprised the court that an FIR has been registered. CJ Minallah remarked that neither the FIR was registered in time nor did the police respond immediately. Upon court’s inquiry pertaining to action against the concerned SHO, the DIG maintained that a show-cause notice has been issued to the concerned SHO and he will be suspended.
The chief justice stressed that police should not spring into action only in cases of the elite and should treat the common man and the powerful alike.
In his remarks, Minallah expressed gratitude on the retrieval of Hammad Saeed Dar but maintained that the state did not treat the lawyer with the right attitude.
Noting the inaction and slackness of the law enforcement agencies in the federal capital, the chief justice remarked that Islamabad is spread over 1,400 square miles under the administration of the federal government, and is home to the prime minister and the federal cabinet members.
The court directed the Islamabad DIG to conduct an in-depth investigation into the incident and submit a report within 10 days.
The hearing was adjourned till January 15.
Dar’s ordeal
Interacting with media persons after the court hearing, Advocate Hammad Dar narrated the ordeal, saying that unidentified men rang his doorbell at around 1.30am on Saturday and told his father that they wanted to meet his son.
Of the 10 people, two of them were called in, but when the door opened, all of them forced their way into the house.
As soon as they saw him, he said, the suspects blindfolded him, searched his belongings, and confiscated his laptop as well as mobile phone. They then took him to their car, drove for thirty minutes and put him in a small room. “Since I was blindfolded, I could not identify the people and have no clue what they wanted from me?”
He said that he had also offered his abductors to go along with them voluntarily if he was shown an arrest warrant, adding that the suspects did not tell him anything.
He credited the efforts of the bar association and the media for his release.
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