ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has sought reply from naval authorities and the Margalla police station on a petition seeking the recovery of a ‘missing’ naval officer.

The petition cited the secretary defence, commanding officer PNS Zafar and the station house officer Margalla as respondents.

IHC Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir after initial hearing issued notices to the naval authorities and the SHO and sought their reply by April 26.

The petition stated that Lieutenant Hafiz Mohammad Habibullah was inducted in Pakistan Navy and after completion of his initial training from Pakistan Naval Academy, PNS Rahbar and grant of short service commission, he was transferred to PNS Zafar on Sept 11, 2019.

According to the petition, the officer was in mental stress because of the behaviour of his seniors.

On Sept 14, 2022, the Naval Intelligence arrested him. He was released after one day and was again picked up on October 26, 2022 and was released after two days.

The petition said that the commanding officer forced the officer to resign from service.

However, the officer filed a representation before the competent authority under section 23 of the Pakistan Navy Ordinance 1961 against alleged ill-treatment meted out to him.

On April 12, 2023, the officer went to his office in PNS Zafar as per his routine. At around 2pm, he sent a message to his father that he was being called by his commanding officer, the petition said, adding that after a few hours when the officer did not come back to his home his father tried to contact him but to no avail.

His father went to the office at PNS Zafar but the staff expressed ignorance about his whereabouts.

The commanding officer also declined his request of meeting, the petition added.

He then went to the police station Margalla to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) regarding missing of his son.

The police officials contacted the Naval Police about the matter and on their instruction refused to entertain his application seeking registration of the FIR, the petition added.

It requested the court to issue direction to the naval authorities and police to recover the officer.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2023