ISLAMABAD   -  The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday deferred the hearing in a matter of a missing person Imran Khan whose mother petitioned for safe release of her son who is a computer engineer and was working in the UAE. 

A single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice of IHC Justice Athar Minallah conducted hearing of the petition filed by the mother of the missing person and adjourned the same due to non-availability of Attorney General of Pakistan till June 2.  

Previously, the representative of Defense Ministry informed the court that the ministry is taking measures to find out the whereabouts of the missing person. 

The IHC Chief Justice said that it is the responsibility of the state to protect its citizens. He added that the court would not interfere in the investigations but it would ensure the protection of basic human rights. 

Expressing his annoyance over the investigation officer, the IHC bench said that the IO has failed to satisfy the court. It further said that Imran has been missing for the last five years but the IO has not investigated the matter properly. 

In the petition, the petitioner said that her son Imran Khan was picked up from his home situated at Sector G-10 of Islamabad and was taken to some unknown location in a double-cabin vehicle five years back. According to the petition, the family got registered an FIR with the local police after his disappearance. However, the police failed to recover him despite a lapse of five years. 

Then, the petitioner took up the matter with the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances and during the hearing by the commission it was concluded that the case of Imran fell under enforced disappearances and law enforcement agencies were asked to find his whereabouts. 

As per petition, Imran’s disappearance adversely affected the life of his family members. Imran was married and had a six-year-old son. His wife filed a suit for dissolution of marriage on the basis of khula on the ground of prolonged absence of her husband. The family judge of Islamabad dissolved the marriage and handed over Imran’s son to his mother. 

The petition said that Imran was an educated professional and there was no case or complaint registered against him in any police station. If there was anything against him then he should have been brought before the court of law.  It said that the arrest was a violation of the constitutional provisions that ensured fundamental rights of citizens. 

The petition requested the court that the officials concerned namely secretaries of interior and defense, the directors general of Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence, chairman of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, commissioner and Inspector General of the Islamabad police might be directed to produce Imran before the court if there was any case registered against him.