ISLAMABAD: Police on Saturday registered a case against senior journalist and TV anchor Hamid Mir on kidnapping charges, Dawn has learnt through sources.

The case has been registered in the light of the decision of the Islamabad High Court. The court had issued the order a few days ago on a petition filed by Shamama Malik, the widow of Khalid Khawaja, who had allegedly been kidnapped from his house in Islamabad’s G-10/2 sector in March 2010.

The FIR has been registered at the Ramna police station of the capital in response to the complaint lodged by Ms Malik in which she had alleged that Hamid Mir and Usman Punjabi with the help of their “hooligans” had kidnapped her husband Khalid Khawaja.

Later, Mr Khawaja was taken to North Waziristan, it stated, adding that on April 30, 2010, his bullet-riddled body was found in Karam Kot. The body was brought to Islamabad but autopsy was not conducted, the complainant states, adding: “my son lodged a complaint at Shalimar police station over the incident, but no action was taken, except registration of a report.”

“The police also did not record the version of my son,” Ms Malik alleges in her complaint. She claims that her deceased husband and Hamid Mir had differences over the Lal Masjid operation.

Due to the same reason, Hamir Mir and Usman Punjabi got Khawaja kidnapped and murdered, the FIR alleges. An audio conversation allegedly between Hamid Mir and Usman Punjabi over the issue has also been made part of the record at the Shalimar police station.

When contacted, Hamid Mir said it seemed to be a politically-motivated case aimed at blackmailing him. He complained that the court had issued the orders to the police without giving him an opportunity to present his viewpoint.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2017