ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Friday granted the police one more week to trace missing Deputy Director of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Muhammad Usman, who has been missing for several days.

During the hearing, Justice Muhammad Azam Khan observed that the purpose of the proceedings was to resolve the issue, not merely to grant repeated adjournments. “The aim is to solve the problem, not just give dates,” the judge remarked, expressing concern over the slow progress in the case.

On Thursday, the high court had ordered the police to recover the abducted office within three days.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (legal) Shahid Cheema told the court on Friday that the missing officer had been handling several high-profile investigations, including a case involving a social media influencer (TikToker). He disclosed that some other members of the same investigation team were also missing under mysterious circumstances.

The court was also informed that the petitioner, Rozina Usman — the missing officer’s wife who had filed the habeas corpus petition — has herself gone missing after initiating the case. The development prompted the court to seek an updated report from the police on both disappearances.

Some other members of the same investigation team are also missing under mysterious circumstances, court told

Justice Azam granted the police one more week to ensure the recovery of Mr Usman and to identify those responsible for his disappearance. The judge cautioned the law enforcement authorities that the matter would be taken seriously if no concrete progress was made by the next hearing.

The court subsequently adjourned further proceedings until Oct 31, directing the authorities to submit a comprehensive report on the recovery efforts and on the missing petitioner.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2025