Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Dogal informed the court that high-level contacts were ongoing, but no significant developments had been achieved
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) expressed grave concerns on Friday, suggesting that the government might be a “beneficiary of enforced disappearances,” during a hearing related to the recovery of two missing brothers of Azhar Mashwani, the former social media lead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The case, presided over by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, saw heated exchanges as the court probed the government’s apparent inaction in addressing the disappearances.
Petitioner’s counsel, Babar Awan, presented his arguments, highlighting the lack of a clear definition of “national interest” despite multiple laws addressing rebellion. Awan argued, “If you ask me what the national interest is, I would say reduce electricity prices…someone from Balochistan would say provide me with gas, that’s his national interest.”
During the proceedings, Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Dogal informed the court that high-level contacts were ongoing, but no significant developments had been achieved. A Lahore Police SP revealed that the CCTV footage provided by the family was of poor quality, complicating efforts by NADRA and forensic agencies to extract useful information. Despite geofencing over 10,000 phone numbers, no actionable data had been uncovered as of August 23. The Safe City Project also failed to cover all angles, and law enforcement agencies reported no substantial progress.
Justice Aurangzeb, visibly frustrated by the lack of results, remarked, “It seems that the government is the beneficiary of enforced disappearances.” The court questioned how such abductions could occur without any intervention from the country’s chief executive, noting that the attorney general had assured the court of a briefing with the prime minister. However, Awan pointed out that the prime minister seemed too preoccupied to read the court’s orders, leading the court to question the AAG on why the investigation had stalled since the case began.
The police officer confirmed that the brothers had been missing since June 6, sparking further concern from the court over the three-month delay in their recovery. Expressing empathy for the victims’ families, the court stated, “It’s been three months since two people went missing forcibly. We can only imagine what their families are going through. People are being picked up, and the Chief Executive is doing nothing.” The court then queried the AAG about the outcome of the meeting between the prime minister and the attorney general, urging for swift action.
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