ISLAMABAD: In an unprecedented move, the Islamabad High Court on Friday imposed a fine of Rs10 million on the authorities for their failure to trace the whereabouts of a missing person.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the IHC declared that the government functionaries responsible for the protection of citizens, including the secretaries of interior and defence, senior superintendent of police and station house officer of Golra police station, had failed to discharge their lawful function.

He pointed out that despite several court directives they had failed to trace the whereabouts of missing person Ghulam Qadir in the last six years.

Justice Kayani disposed of the petition filed by Qadir’s brother after imposing the fine on the authorities and warned that if they failed to recover the missing person in a month, they would face departmental inquiry.

He regretted that the police authorities had failed to discharge their duty.

It may be mentioned that this is the highest-ever fine imposed on the authorities in a missing person’s case. Earlier, the court had imposed a fine of Rs4m fine on the state functionaries in two similar cases.

In August, Justice Kayani had given the authorities seven weeks for recovery of Ghulam Qadir and warned them of issuing a stern order in case of failure.

Qadir went missing in August 2014.

The court regretted that the citizen had been missing for the past six years but the investigation had not reached any conclusion.

Police said the missing citizen might have gone to Afghanistan and an investigation was under way in this regard as well.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2021