ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of progress in the recovery of two brothers of a journalist who have been missing from the federal capital for the past 20 days.

The court’s displeasure came after the police informed that they had only found a hint of the location of the missing brothers.

The court adjourned the hearing, promising to issue an order after receiving comprehensive rep­orts from the ministry of defence and the IGP of Islamabad Police.

Saifur Rehman Haider, 38, and Muhammad Ali, 30, have not been seen since March 19.

Judge says he won’t listen to anyone except IGP; ‘hint of location’ found, officer tells high court

Their brother Ahmed Noorani is currently based in the US and runs the FactFocus website, which remains inaccessible in Pakistan.

Their mother, Amina Bashir, appeared in the court along with her counsels Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha.

During the proceedings, the court questioned the absence of the Islamabad IG, summoning him in person. “I had ordered the IG to appear. I will not listen to anyone else,” Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas remarked when the SP Investigation tried to address the bench.

IG Islamabad Ali Nasir Rizvi eventually appeared before the court and informed that a special investigation team had been constituted, and SIM activity linked to the missing brothers traced to Bahawalpur on March 22 and 23.

He said police teams had been despatched to Bahawalpur and Sindh and they were coordinating with law enforcement agencies in multiple provinces. “We are also examining mobile data, vehicle movements, and [doing] contact tracing with assistance from IB,” the IG stated.

The judge questioned the efficacy of the Safe City surveillance project, noting that such a disappearance from Islamabad raised grave concerns about police performance. “If this is how people are picked up from the capital, then what is the performance of the police?” he asked.

Advocate Mazari criticised the lack of accountability in enforced disappearance cases, saying such patterns “of phones being used post-disappearance” are common when intelligence agencies are allegedly involved. “This must also be asked from those in khaki uniforms,” she asserted.

Justice Minhas reiterated that the burden of recovery lies with the police and warned that failure to recover the brothers would reflect directly on their accountability.

The court questioned the state counsel on whether any authority would take responsibility if such disappearances occur within Islamabad.

Emotions ran high when the mother of the missing men addressed the courtroom. “The system of disbelief can work, but not one of oppression,” she cried.

The ministry of defence has denied holding the brothers in custody.

Advocate Mazari requested a short adjournment period, to which the court replied that an order would follow.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2025