PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court on Wednesday summoned for Sep 25 the investigation officer (IO) probing the ‘abduction’ of Provincial Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan by armed men near the toll plaza of Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway three days ago.
A bench consisting of Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Kamran Hayat Khan Miankhel directed that the IO should appear and inform the court about any development in the case.
The bench issued the order after preliminary hearing of a petition filed by Fazal Shakoor’s brother Anwar Aziz, who sought directives for the Peshawar capital city police officer and other police officers to immediately ascertain and disclose the whereabouts of Fazal Shakoor Khan, and produce him before the court, so that it might satisfy itself regarding the legality of his detention.
The petitioner requested the court that in case the minister was found to be illegally or unlawfully detained by any person, authority or official, direct his immediate release in accordance with law.
AAG suggests judicial inquiry into such incidents
The petitioner has made multiple prayers to the court and sought directives for respondents including high-ranking police officers to take immediate and effective steps for the recovery and safe production of the minister, if he was found to be unlawfully detained or abducted.
He also requested for directives to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa inspector general of police and CCPO Peshawar to constitute a senior-level, impartial and competent investigation team for tracing the minister and investigating his alleged interception, abduction and illegal detention.
Moreover, the petitioner requested for directives to police to preserve, secure and examine the CCTV footage of motorway toll plaza and surrounding routes, together with the video recording submitted by the petitioner and any other relevant evidence.
Petitioner’s counsel Bashir Wazir said that Fazal Shakoor was an MPA and a provincial minister. He said that the minister was abducted in broad daylight from the motorway interchange on Sep 21.
He stated that police, excise and other departmental checkpoints were stationed on the opposite side of the road, yet those officers acted like spectators. He said that armed individuals in plain clothes reportedly shot at the tyres of the minister’s vehicle and forcibly took him away.
The counsel contended that the reported incident had raised a serious apprehension regarding the life, safety, liberty and whereabouts of the provincial minister.
He said that if Mr Shakoor had been taken into custody or detained against his will, such detention required immediate judicial scrutiny and lawful justification.
The counsel mentioned that the inspector general of police was summoned during the session of provincial assembly by the speaker but he didn’t turn up.
“This reflects the weakness of the provincial government,” Justice Ijaz Anwar remarked.
On a query by the bench, the additional advocate general, Bilal Khalil, said that an FIR had already been registered.
Justice Anwar observed that once an FIR for an incident was registered, the court’s jurisdiction became limited, allowing it only to issue directions regarding the investigation.
The AAG suggested a judicial inquiry into such incidents, to which the bench observed that the court would consider it if the provincial government submitted a formal request.
The AAG recalled that earlier the government had requested formation of a judicial commission regarding the May 9, 2023, events, but the court did not give consent to that request.
Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2026
