ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday directed the police to employ the latest investigation methodology to trace missing journalist Sami Ibrahim as the court was told that Ibrahim’s last location was the Judicial Colony, Rawalpindi.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq resumed hearing of the petition seeking recovery of Ibrahim.

His counsel, Raja Amir Abbas Hassan, argued that the journalist was diabetic and a heart patient, adding that he was abducted from a densely populated area while police were still clueless about his whereabouts.

The court was told that they requested geo-fencing data of Ibrahim from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and their response was still awaited.

Justice Farooq asked the police to depute some young, talented and energetic officer to probe this matter.

He also directed them to use the latest gadgets and methodology to trace whereabouts of the missing journalist.

Meanwhile, a division bench of the IHC comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri granted protective bail to Pakistan

Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar and directed him to appear before the Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) of Lahore by Thursday.

His counsel told the court that a first information report (FIR) had been registered against Umar in the Gulberg police station, Lahore.

Meanwhile, Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir of the IHC sought the medical report of PTI leader Shehryar Afridi as his counsel argued that he got injured during arrest.

The prosecutor informed the court that Afridi had also been involved in investigation of a case registered in I-9 police station.

The petitioner’s lawyer said that his client was injured when at the time of his arrest, his right arm froze.

He said that his client was kept in a very small cell in jail.

Further hearing in this matter has been adjourned till June 2.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2023