Court slams delay in missing ex-jailer case

Judge directs govt officials to submit required affidavits by October 11

RAWALPINDI:

Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz of the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench, expressed strong displeasure over the failure of the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defence to submit their affidavits in the case concerning the disappearance of former deputy superintendent of jail, Muhammad Akram.

During the hearing, Justice Aziz directed the secretaries of both ministries to submit the required affidavits by October 11. The judge noted the gravity of the case, expressing frustration over the lack of progress and emphasising the urgency of compliance with court orders. Akram's wife also attended the court proceedings.

The Inspector General of Prisons (IG Prisons) appeared before the court in response to summons and presented a written statement. The statement revealed that Muhammad Akram had been terminated from his position due to an ongoing investigation, which had been active for some time prior to his disappearance. However, no further details were provided regarding his whereabouts or the specifics of the investigation.

In an effort to expedite the case, the court ordered the police to submit a comprehensive report detailing the progress of their investigation into Akram's disappearance. Justice Aziz reiterated that both the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defence must provide affidavits regarding the incident before the next hearing date.

The petitioner's lawyer, Imaan Zainab Mazari, criticised the delays in the case, accusing the authorities of using stalling tactics. She pointed out that her client had been taken into custody from his home in the early hours of August 14, and that 55 days had passed since his arrest, with no information provided about his condition.