PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday disposed of the case of Islamia College University, Peshawar Vice Chancellor Ajmal Khan’s kidnapping after his recovery.

The vice chancellor recently returned after remaining in the captivity of militants for around four years.

During a hearing into the case, a bench comprising Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Mazhar Malik Manzoor Hussain observed that the vice chancellor had been recovered and therefore, the petition had become infructuous.

Ajmal Khan was abducted on Sept 7, 2010, along with his driver on way to his office from his residence here in Professor Colony.

Later, a video footage surfaced showing he was in the custody of militants, who made certain demands to the government for his release.

Last year, former deputy attorney general Mohammad Iqbal Mohmand had sent an application to then Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan through the human rights cell of the court requesting to take a suo moto notice of the matter observing almost three years had passed but the provincial government had taken no step for the recovery of the vice chancellor.

He had observed Ajmal Khan was a thorough gentleman, who was respected by all due to his reputation.

The then chief justice had converted his application into a writ petition.

The court had also included the interior secretary, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa inspector general of police, provincial home secretary, additional chief secretary of the Fata Secretariat, and political agents of North and South Waziristan agencies as respondents in the case.

When the bench took up for hearing the case on Tuesday, Iqbal Mohmand pointed out that Ajmal Khan had been recovered during the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan by security forces on Aug 28, 2014.

He said Ajmal Khan had safely returned home and had also assumed his responsibilities at the university and therefore, the petition should be disposed of.

During the pendency of the petition, the court had issued several directives to the federal and provincial governments.

It had also asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to convene a meeting of the relevant high-ups, including the provincial home secretary, additional chief secretary of Fata Secretariat, political agents of North and South Waziristan tribal agencies and the parliamentarians of the two agencies to plan the recovery of Ajmal Khan.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2014