Daily Times

The Lahore High Court on Wednesday gave the police until July 25 to find anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan, whose whereabouts remain unknown since his arrest on May 11.

The order was passed by LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti as he resumed hearing a plea seeking to find the anchorperson, who was among the individuals apprehended in the wake of protests that erupted in the country after the arrest of PTI chairman Imran Khan. A first information report (FIR) pertaining to the matter was registered with Civil Lines police on May 16 on the complaint of the anchorperson’s father, Muhammad Riaz.

The FIR was registered against “unidentified persons” and police officials for allegedly kidnapping Imran, invoking Section 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) of the Pakistan Penal Code. At the previous hearing, the LHC was told there had been some positive development in the case and it was expected that the anchorperson would be safely recovered within the next few days.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC granted one-week more time to the authorities for recovery of missing bureaucrat and former principal secretary to prime minister Azam Khan. Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case regarding the recovery of Azam Khan who disappeared from Islamabad the few days back.

During hearing, the officials of Islamabad police submitted a progress report regarding the matter.

The police said that Azam Khan went out on a vehicle which was non-registered.

It said that all resources were being used for the recovery of the disappeared bureaucrat.

The court instructed the police to continue its efforts and also be in contact with the victim family.

The SSP Operation Islamabad said that he was monitoring the matter himself, adding that he could not meet the family members of Azam Khan due to the Eid holidays.

The official said that Azam Khan had been using an international number in his phone which could be used only in Wi-Fi. The police was facing difficulties in tracing the location due to the international number.

The court granted one more week to the police and also sought progress report on next hearing.