Ahmed Farhad Shah missing case: IHC summons Interior Minister

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) summons the Interior Minister and defense secretaries to appear in court today in the missing case of poet Ahmed Farhad Shah. Ahmed Farhad Shah is a Kashmiri poet and journalist.

The Interior Minister and Defense secretaries have received an IHC order to appear in court in person before 3 p.m. today. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani warned of their arrest warrants if they don’t appear in court.

He gave this order over the alleged forced disappearance of Ahmed Farhad Shah by the intelligence services of Pakistan. Ahmed Farhad’s wife filed a petition to IHC while claiming a spy agency kidnapped his husband on May 17, 2024.

*Ahmed Farhad Shah, the Kashmiri journalist and poet*

Afterward, she also requested the withdrawal of the petition that IHC rejected. After filing the petition, unknown persons used to call her from Ahmed’s WhatsApp number. They suggested she withdraw the petition and lie to the court that Ahmed left voluntarily. They urged they would release Ahmed if she withdrew the petition from the court.

Justice Mohsin also criticized severely national spy agencies during the case hearing. He questioned the federal government whether intelligence agencies would rule this nation or whether it would be run by law.

The IHC also ordered the police investigation officers to record the (Inter-Services Intelligence) ISI sector commander’s statement on the missing case of Ahmed. And then provide a report on it to the court.

*Justice Mohsin asked if the ISI sector commander lives on the moon and what his status*

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Justice Mohsin also inquired about the commander’s status, residential place, and whether or not he is a Grade 18 officer. He also instructed the Defense Ministry representative who had come to court to let the sector commander stay within his limits.

Moreover, Justice Mohsin also ordered the representative not to help the sector commander since the nation could work without him. However, a defense ministry representative informed the court that ISI did not hold the missing Ahmed Farhad Shah during the case hearing.

The representative said he reported this missing case to ISI, but the agency had refused his custody. The court also stated that it would issue an order. And this matter would extend beyond the kidnapping of a person.

According to IHC, the missing case of Ahmed Farhad Shah is a complicated matter, and their verdict would set a standard. It also said they would summon the prime minister and other cabinet members after interior ministry and defense secretaries.