In the event that Imran Riaz is harmed, the court has vowed to “spare no one,” and the IGP has asked the court to call the defense and interior secretaries because he has “no idea” where the anchorperson is.
During a press conference on Monday, the chief justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC) stated that the court would not “spare anyone” if anything were to happen to missing anchor person Imran Riaz Khan.
Following Punjab Inspector General Dr. Usman Anwar’s admission before CJ Muhammad Ameer Bhatti’s court that he was “clueless” as to where the anchorperson was, the judge made these comments expressing his dismay.
The IG made his way to the LHC today, after the court-ordered deadline of 48 hours to submit Khan had passed.
On May 11, police detained the journalist from Sialkot Airport after he was a vocal supporter of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his policies.
After the former prime minister’s detention from the Islamabad High Court on May 9 caused widespread protests and riots, the government sprang into action and launched a crackdown against PTI supporters.
According to reports, the anchor was detained after she was accused of encouraging violence between security personnel and PTI supporters.
The LHC issued the order to the IG prisons on May 12 to produce the journalist in court that day. But the IG reported to the judge that Khan had been released from jail.
After receiving no useful information from the district police officer (DPO) of Sialkot, the LHC had called on the IGP for assistance in tracking down Khan.
During the hearing on May 20, however, the IGP repeatedly seemed at a loss for words in response to the CJ’s probing questions.
The IG Punjab denied that the anchorperson had been kidnapped when asked several times in court about the system’s inability to locate him, instead speculating that the man could have gone into hiding.
Police actions and future intentions were discussed in court by IGP Dr. Usman. He said that they had called NADRA to help with the identifying process, gotten CCTV video, and enlisted the help of organizations like the FIA, IB, ISI, and others to begin the geo-fencing procedure. He had promised the judge that they would do all in their power to find the anchorperson, but he had asked for more time.
After failing for a third time to produce the missing anchorperson, the IGP has turned to law enforcement for help today.
He said in court that he had tried to get in touch with every DIG but to no avail.
At one point, the IGP claimed that Khan was “not in police custody” and proposed that the court could “wrap up the matter quickly” by calling in the defense and interior secretaries.
However, Khan’s attorney advocate Azhar Siddique disagreed with the police officer’s assessment. He still thought the officers were “playing hide and seek.”
The attorney claimed that the inability of the DPO and the IGP to produce Khan was indicative of their bad faith.
“Perhaps the IGP means to imply that he [Khan] is not in Punjab and the IGP requires access to Sindh and Balochistan,” CJ Bhatti speculated.
Remember, everyone, that this court wants the anchorperson’s life protected,” CJ Bhatti said.
“No one will be spared if anything happens to Imran Riaz,” CJ Bhatti emphasized.
