In response to the Lahore High Court’s 48-hour ultimatum for the Sialkot district police officer to locate missing anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan, the city police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against unidentified individuals and police officials for allegedly kidnapping the journalist.
Imran’s whereabouts have remained unknown for nearly a week since his arrest on May 11, which occurred amidst violent protests following the detention of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
According to the complaint filed by Imran’s father, Muhammad Riaz, with the Civil Lines police, the FIR has invoked Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which pertains to the kidnapping or abduction of a person with the intent to secretly and unlawfully confine them.
According to the FIR, the anchorperson was arrested by police officials from the Sialkot airport last week and was later moved to the Sialkot prison.
“At that time, no case was registered against my son and he was taken into custody illegally,” the complaint quoted the anchorperson’s father as saying. Imran was not allowed to meet or contact any family member during this time, it stated.
According to the filed First Information Report (FIR), the police later admitted that Imran Riaz Khan had been arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order rules, which authorize preemptive detentions to maintain law and order.
The complainant asserted that the police baselessly accused Imran of inciting people and intended to transfer him to Sialkot prison promptly.
Subsequently, a petition was lodged in the Lahore High Court challenging Imran’s arrest. The father of the anchorperson recounted that the court had ordered the police to produce Imran in court. However, the District Police Officer (DPO) claimed that Imran had been released after the withdrawal of his detention orders.
The FIR highlighted that the judge then requested the police to provide CCTV footage showing Imran leaving the court premises. The footage revealed that unidentified individuals, wearing masks, forcefully abducted Imran outside the jail and transported him to an undisclosed location using a Vigo vehicle.
“The video evidence clearly shows collusion between the prison officers and police officers, resulting in the abduction of Imran,” the complainant added.
Imran’s father has called for the registration of a case against the responsible police officers and individuals involved in his son’s abduction, demanding that justice be served. In a recent development, the Lahore High Court (LHC) suspended the police officer who had arrested the anchorperson while hearing a petition challenging Imran’s arrest.
Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti, presiding over the case, issued a show cause notice to the Sialkot station house officer (SHO) and warned the District Police Officer (DPO) of potential punitive measures. The judge expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of apprehending the anchorperson, who was about to travel abroad, on the pretext of a threat to law and order.
Questioning the validity of an undertaking from someone intending to go abroad, Justice Bhatti remarked, “The government simply wanted the anchorperson to miss his flight.” The judge further criticized the DPO for using the SHO as a scapegoat in the case.
The hearing was adjourned until May 18, and the court instructed the DPO to ensure the recovery of the anchorperson and present him before the court. Failure to do so would lead to consequences for the DPO.
