The recent development in the case of Kashmiri poet Ahmed Farhad has revealed that the anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Muzaffarabad has denied him bail. Farhad, who went missing from his home in Islamabad on May 14, was found in police custody at a police station outside Muzaffarabad on May 29. This has sparked concerns and raised questions about the circumstances of his detention.
Following his reappearance, the case took another turn as the Islamabad High Court (IHC) rejected the federal government’s request to close the recovery case of the missing poet until he appeared in person at a hearing. The petition, filed by Farhad’s wife, Urooj Zainab, was heard by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the IHC. Notably, the tireless efforts of human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali, who represented Zainab, have been instrumental in this ongoing pursuit of justice.
During the hearing, Iqbal informed the court that Farhad was on physical remand until June 2 and had been allowed to meet his family. Meanwhile, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan had earlier informed the IHC that the missing poet was in police custody at a station outside Muzaffarabad and had reunited with his family. However, the exact charges faced by Farhad following his disappearance remain unclear.
The situation has drawn significant attention, as evidenced by the IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani’s previous issuance of an eight-page written order summoning various officials, including the Law Minister, sector commanders of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI), Intelligence Bureau (IB) director, as well as the defence and interior secretaries. This underscores the gravity and complexity of the case, and the urgent need for a thorough investigation and a resolution that upholds justice and the rule of law.
