ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has denied having PTI activist Azhar Mashwani in custody in a report submitted to the Rawalpindi bench of Lahore High Court (LHC).

Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz of the LHC Rawalpindi bench on Tuesday heard the habeas corpus petition filed by Mr Mashwani’s brother, Mazharul Hassan. A habeas corpus petition is filed to seek the release of an unlawfully imprisoned person.

The FIA in its report denied having any information of Mr Mashwani’s whereabouts. However, the report failed to convince the judge who called it “unsatisfactory” and directed the FIA to resubmit it.

Further hearing of the matter was adjourned till April 4.

Separately, a sessions court on Tuesday disposed of a petition seeking the registration of a case against Mr Mashwani’s alleged abduction.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Mian Mudassar Umar Bodla disposed of the petition after the police stated that a case for the said offence has already been registered.

The SP complaint cell submitted a report saying a case under Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code has been registered with Green Town police station on the petitioner’s application.

Mr Mashwani’s brother had filed the petition alleging that his brother was abducted by unidentified persons when he was going to the Zaman Park residence of PTI Chairman Imran Khan. The petitioner had sought the court’s order to register the case and recover his ‘abducted’ brother.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2023