The case surrounding the abduction of local Kashmiri poet and journalist Ahmed Farhad Shah has taken a surprising turn, as the lawyer representing the Pakistan government informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday that Farhad is currently in the custody of police in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and cannot be presented in court as he is on "foreign land" beyond the country's jurisdiction.
Farhad, who has been missing for the past two weeks, was recently discovered to have two cases lodged against him by the police in PoK. During the proceedings on Friday, the Additional Attorney General revealed to IHC judge Mohsin Akhter Kiani that Farhad had legal cases registered against him in Muzaffarabad and Dhirkot in PoK.
Following this revelation, Farhad's lawyer, Imaan Mazaari, stated that the Additional Attorney General admitted in court that Farhad is currently situated on "foreign land," rendering him unable to be produced in court.
Previously reported by IANS, Farhad was abducted from his residence in Rawalpindi, leading to his wife filing a case in the Islamabad High Court. During the hearings, Judge Kayani criticized Pakistan's powerful intelligence agencies for their continued practice of forced abductions.
Questions have arisen regarding the actions of Pakistani intelligence agencies in handling the matter. Senior political analyst Hamid Mir commented on the case, highlighting discrepancies in the information provided by authorities regarding Farhad's whereabouts.
Mir strongly criticized the country's establishment, acknowledging that the Farhad case has brought a new dimension to the issue of Kashmir. He questioned how Pakistan Rangers were able to travel to PoK during recent protests against inflation.
Farhad's lawyer, Imaan Mazaari, expressed concerns about the FIRs lodged against the poet and the lack of information provided to his family during their visit to Muzaffarabad. Mazaari emphasized that Kashmir has its own courts, police, and legal system, indicating that the matter should be addressed within the region. She also raised concerns about Farhad's health, noting his weight loss and difficulty speaking fluently during a meeting with his family, emphasizing the need for immediate medical attention.
