ISLAMABAD: A citizen missing since March is in military custody, the Ministry of Defence told Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday.

Mudassar Khan, who reportedly went missing from Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, is facing a trial, the ministry’s report said, without giving any detail about the charges faced by the accused.

The report was submitted during the hearing of the petition filed by Mr Khan’s wife, Nazima Fatehyab.

The petitioner’s counsel, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, Brigadier Falak Naz from the Ministry of Defence and the assistant attorney general appeared in the court before IHC’s Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani.

The petitioner’s lawyer requested the court to allow Mr Khan’s family to meet him.

The court directed the Defence Ministry to facilitate the meeting in accordance with the law and adjourned the hearing to a later date.

During the last hearing, Justice Kiyani directed the Military Intelligence director-general to submit a sealed report on Mr Khan’s whereabouts.

The petitioner stated that her husband’s case has been pending with the Missing Persons Commission since August.

She claimed to have received a phone call in November from her missing husband, who stated he was in the custody of an unnamed agency.

She requested the court to direct the authorities to produce her husband at an appropriate forum.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2024