July 22, 2024
By Bilal Baseer
ISLAMABAD
On Monday, July 22, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) heard a petition regarding the disappearance of Ahmad Waqas Janjua, a media team member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir remarked that such cases, once prevalent in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are now taking place in Islamabad.
Farhana Barlas, the wife of Ahmad Janjua, told Voicepk that on the morning of July 20 at 4am, a group of men, some in uniform and others in plain clothes, and wearing masks, entered their house. “They broke down the door and forcibly entered, abducting my husband. They also took our gadgets and cameras.”
During the hearing on Monday morning, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir asked the federal government to submit a report by 12pm, and instructed that Janjua be presented in court along with the report.
At the resumption of the hearing at 12pm, the prosecutor general informed the court that serious charges had been filed against Janjua. He added that Janjua had been presented before the trial court, where his physical remand was approved.
Imaan Mazari, the petitioner’s counsel, said the prosecutor general and other state lawyers were unaware of Ahmad Janjua’s disappearance till the morning. “But within hours, they claimed there was an FIR against him.”
Mazari pointed out that the FIR states Janjua was arrested on July 22. “Their petition is dated July 20, and brings the issue of illegal detention before the court.”
Speaking to Voicepk, lawyer Hadi Ali Chatha said, although serious charges have been made against Janjua, the CCTV footage from the scene refutes these claims. “CCTV footage shows that the valiant personnel of the ISI, at 4am, wearing masks and carrying Kalashnikovs, forcibly entered the residence of a citizen.”
He said some 25 personnel broke into the house. “The video shows them abducting Janjua. It also shows them harassing the wife and asking her to hand over cameras and DVRs to eliminate evidence of the raid.”
Chatha added, “Filing false FIRs has become a trend”.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Terrorism Court has approved a 7-day physical remand of Ahmad Waqas Janjua while ordering him to be presented in court on July 29.