RAWLPINDI: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench on Wednesday termed the police report on disappearance of a suspect following his acquittal in Benazir Bhutto murder case unsatisfactory and sought a comprehensive report from the city police officer (CPO).

LHC division bench comprising Justice Mirza Viaqs Rauf and Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz was hearing the appeals against the decision of Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) that convicted two police officers Saud Aziz and Khurram Shehzad and acquitted five suspects.

ATC Judge Asghar Ali Khan on August 30, 2017 acquitted five suspects of banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) but convicted Aziz and Shehzad for criminal negligence under section 119 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and destroying the evidence under section 201 of PPC.

The verdict was challenged by Asif Ali Zardari, now the President of Pakistan, police officers and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

While the matter was pending before the division bench, the legal heirs of a suspect Rafaqat filed a petition against his enforced disappearance.

Following the verdict, Rafaqat along with other suspects was detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). He, however, went missing later on.

The police submitted the report regarding the disappearance of Rafaqat which the court termed unsatisfactory.

The bench directed the CPO to submit a comprehensive report by next hearing.

The court then adjourned hearing on all the appeals as well.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2024