Peshawar High Court Orders Full Court in Missing Persons Case, Expresses Anger Over IG’s Absence

PESHAWAR – The Peshawar High Court has ordered the formation of a full court in the case of five missing persons, expressing severe displeasure over the absence of the Inspector General (IG) of Police in court. Justice Ejaz Anwar, presiding over the hearing, warned that if the missing individuals are not produced, strict action will be taken against the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) and the IG.
The case was heard by a larger bench comprising Justice Ejaz Anwar, Justice Arshad Ali, and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah. During the proceedings, Advocate General Shah Faisal Utmankhel and CCPO Qasim Ali Khan appeared before the court. Justice Anwar rebuked the authorities, stating that the court had summoned the IG, not the Advocate General.
“The law does not exist here. We will not tolerate the humiliation of our citizens to please others,” remarked Justice Anwar. “If educated and respectable people are not safe, what hope is there for the common man?” he added.
The Advocate General explained that the missing persons had been granted bail by a local magistrate and that the police raided the petitioner’s house during a search for a woman who had traveled from Oman to Lahore and then Peshawar. Items belonging to the woman, including her passport, two mobile phones, and a laptop, were allegedly recovered from the house.
Justice Anwar questioned the legality of detaining relatives for someone else’s alleged crime and criticized the police for not registering an FIR. Justice Arshad Ali asked who had ordered them not to file an FIR, noting that no such instruction was in the court’s orders.
Justice Sahibzada Asadullah further challenged the Advocate General’s credibility, saying, “It seems even you are not convinced by your arguments. How do you expect us to be?”
Justice Anwar reiterated that any defiance of court orders would lead to contempt proceedings and possible legal action against the IG and CCPO. “Present the missing persons or face consequences,” he warned, adding, “The day may come when your own people are missing and their families stand before us demanding answers.”
The court also ordered the immediate presentation of the recovered items in court and cautioned that further delays would not be tolerated.