Islamabad [Pakistan], May 29 (ANI): Political leaders and social activists joined a protest at the Islamabad Press Club to demand the safe release of journalist and writer Ahmed Farhad Shah, who was “forcibly abducted.”
During the protest held on Tuesday, participants raised slogans and announced that they will undertake a major protest in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) for the release of Ahmed Farhad and other political prisoners.
One of the protestors alleged, “We never have and never will beg for our rights. All that we have achieved is after a struggle and protest. We had protested in PoJK for our rights peacefully and got what we deserved. And the same goes for Ahmed Farhad and other political prisoners. Hence, we will again organize a protest for Farhad and will show them what we can do.”
“There are only two types of people left in Pakistan ‘the oppressor’ and the ‘the oppressed’ and this has been going on for over 70 years. And now it has gone beyond tolerance. We will not beg, again and again, and all the top officials have never given our issues any importance. If they were to give any importance to our issues we would not have been standing here. We have raised our voices for essentials like electricity, wheat, flour, education and infrastructure, but nothing has improved so far”.
The case of Ahmed Farhad’s abduction recently garnered serious attention, with Islamabad High Court (IHC) demanding a report from the defence secretary on the alleged role of state intelligence agencies in the abduction of the Kashmiri poet and journalist on May 17.
Shah was allegedly abducted from his home just after the four-day protests in Muzafarabad ended. Additionally, a petition was filed by Shah’s wife in the IHC the same day, requesting that he be found and produced before the court and to identify, investigate and prosecute those responsible for his disappearance.
IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani had conducted the first hearing on the matter a day ago and ordered Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jameel Zafar to retrieve Shah at any cost, warning that he would otherwise summon the defence secretary.
Justice Kayani further remarked that an investigation was not completed in any of the missing persons cases registered so far in the year. “Shamefully, the whole nation knows who is doing what, the whole of Pakistan knows, including me, but we have closed our eyes,” he remarked. “What a great system, the missing person can’t even come back and say anything. When the missing person turns up, he and his family are told to keep quiet.”
The IHC also summoned top federal government officials of Pakistan, like the interior and defence secretaries, will appear before the IHC. While hearing the petition, the IHC asked the government officials, “whether the intelligence agencies will run this country or it will be governed in accordance with the law.”
The IHC has ordered the investigation officer to record the statement of the sector commander of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and submit a report. As per News International, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani while commenting on the same remarked “If the ISI sector commander lives on the moon, what his status is and if he is not a Grade 18 officer”. In the court, Justice Kayani demanded that the commander remain within his limits, as the country could also run without him.
The IHC panel of judges also pointed out that not only both secretaries of interior and defence will be appearing before the court. But the court would also summon the prime minister and the federal cabinet members. (ANI)
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