Islamabad High Court slams police in enforced disappearance case

The Islamabad High Court has strongly criticized the police’s failure to act in an enforced disappearance case, ordering departmental accountability. The court demanded a report from the cabinet secretary about initiating proceedings against senior police officers, including the IGP. Justice Akhtar Kayani instructed the IGP to explain if any action had been taken against the investigation team involved in the 2015 case of Abdullah Umar’s disappearance.

The case has been dragging on since 2015, when an FIR was filed for Umar’s recovery. Justice Kayani reminded officials of a 2019 penalty order for police inaction, which included a PKR 2 million fine and salary attachments for officers until Umar’s recovery. Despite these past orders, the court found that the Ministry of Defence had failed to comply fully with the directives.

The judge emphasized the urgency of following through on previous rulings and adjourned the case until November 11. Meanwhile, enforced disappearances remain a persistent issue in Pakistan, with families often accusing the Pakistani forces of involvement. Recently, the Baloch National Movement’s Human Rights Department reported multiple cases, including the disappearance of Asad Ullah and Hamid Baloch in Balochistan, allegedly by local death squads working with security forces.