PHC seeks answers on missing Russian
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has issued notices to the federal government, the Director General of FIA, and the Director General of Immigration & Passports, seeking replies on a petition filed for the recovery of a Russian citizen who allegedly went missing after arriving in Pakistan.
A single-member bench headed by Chief Justice Justice SM Atiq Shah heard the case. During the proceedings, petitioner’s counsel Mohsin Farooq Advocate, Additional Advocate General Nomanul Haq Kakakhel, and Assistant Attorney General Atif Nazeer appeared before the court.
The petitioner’s lawyer informed the bench that the Russian national, Mahmud Glegov, arrived in Islamabad in January 2025 and later travelled to Peshawar, where he allegedly went missing. He said there has been no trace of him since, nor any information about who may have taken him. He added that the petition was filed to ensure his safe recovery.
Read More: LHC questions Nasir Bagh tree relocation
At this stage, the Additional Advocate General told the court that a report from CTD had been received but the department itself had no information. The Assistant Attorney General stated that authorities were not even certain whether the Russian citizen had actually entered Pakistan, or if he had indeed arrived in Islamabad.
Responding to this, the Chief Justice remarked that the first clarification needed is whether he landed at Islamabad Airport, after which the government could be questioned. The petitioner’s counsel affirmed that the Russian citizen did arrive in Islamabad, had communicated with his brother, received a visa from Moscow, and travelled to Pakistan in January 2025.
The Chief Justice directed the DG FIA and DG Immigration & Passports to examine the matter thoroughly and submit a detailed report confirming whether the petitioner’s brother entered Pakistan. Both departments were ordered to file their reports before the next hearing.
The bench subsequently issued formal notices to the federal government, DG FIA, and DG Immigration & Passports, seeking their replies and adjourned the proceedings.