ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday censured Islamabad police over their failure to trace a housemaid went missing from Margalla Town of Shahzad Town police area.

IHC Justice Aamer Farooq has earlier issued a show cause notice to the SSP (investigation) Attaur Rehman and has summoned the DIG (operations) since Rehman has failed to satisfy the court.

On Wednesday, Rehman along with DIG operations Afzaal Ahmed Kausar and SP Rural Zone Rana Abdul Wahab - in whose jurisdiction the Shahzad Town police station falls – appeared before the court.

Justice Farooq expressed displeasure over the way police was treating the matter hence no progress at all.

Earlier on April 13, in the court’s order, Justice Farooq noted “with dismay that there is no progress in the investigation.”

The police took the plea that since the accused were on bail they could not proceed against them, Justice Farooq however observed this “is not ground for failure to fulfill the duties and obligation by the police authorities”.

DIG operations apprised the court that efforts are being made for recovery of the missing girl.

When DIG sought a month time to trace the girl, Justice Farooq sarcastically remarked “why should hearing be adjourned till next year.”

The court turned down police’s request for adjourning the case for a month and directed to do the needful within a week time.

The judge observed: “SSP investigation has not complied with the earlier April 22 order as he has yet not filed the explanation. Let him do the same before the next date of hearing failing which the contempt proceedings shall be initiated against him.

Complainant seeks registration of terrorism case against the accused.

Meanwhile, a complainant sought registration of a case under terrorism charges against the accused who were spotted in a viral video of armed conflict in the suburb of the federal capital while taking possession of land.

The accused Chaudhry Sudheer on the other hand is seeking to quash the FIR registered against him under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) since he along with others nominated in the FIR registered in the Koral police station.

The police charged the accused under sections 148, section 149 188 and 506.

Sudheer has filed the petition before the IHC saying that he was implicated in this case due to media hype and termed registration of FIR against him as abuse of power and requested to quash the same.

IHC Justice Ghulam Azam Qambrani heard the petition.

The complainant Asad Abid on the other requested the court to become party in this matter.

As per his complaint, the accused along with unknown armed men forcibly stopped construction of house on his lawfully purchased plot and threatened of dire consequences.

According to the complainant, the accused Sudheer may be booked under relevant sections of the PPC and the Anti Terrorism Act (ATA).

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2021