The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday offered the Punjab police chief a “last chance” to find missing anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan by September 26, adjourning the case till then.
Imran Riaz, a YouTuber and television anchor, was arrested two days after violent protests erupted across the country in response to the detention of PTI Chairman Imran Khan on May 9.
After his arrest, he was last seen being transported to the Cantt police station and then to the Sialkot prison. On May 15, a law officer informed the court that the anchorperson had been freed from jail after signing a written undertaking. His current location is unknown.
Following that, on May 16, a first information report (FIR) of Imran’s claimed kidnapping was filed with Sialkot Civil Lines police on the complaint of the anchorperson’s father, Muhammad Riaz.
The FIR was filed against “unidentified persons” and police officers for allegedly kidnapping Imran, invoking Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code (kidnapping or abducting with intent covertly and illegally to imprison a person).
The journalist’s father also petitioned the LHC for his son’s recovery.
On September 13, almost a week after promising positive news, Punjab Inspector General (IG) Dr Usman Anwar informed the court that the inquiry was “going in the right direction.”
The hearing of Riaz’s petition was presided over today by LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti. Both IG Anwar and Riaz’s counsel, Mian Ali Ashfaq, arrived in court.
The court allowed the Punjab Inspector General time until September 26 at his request and deferred the case until then.
The court decision later read, “On the request of the IG Punjab, this last opportunity is granted to produce the detainee, Muhammad Imran Riaz, failing which proceedings will be initiated in accordance with law.”
