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Legal team head of jailed ex-PM Imran Khan’s party goes ‘missing’

Intazar Hussain Panjhota was last seen on Tuesday evening, says PTI lawyer

Legal team head of jailed ex-PM Imran Khan’s party goes ‘missing’
Intazar Hussain Panjhuta standing next to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan.
X/@intazarpanjutha

Opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan condemns Panjutha's disappearance, blaming Pakistan's intelligence agencies for the incident

IHC CJ Aamer Farooq orders IGP Islamabad to ensure Panjutha's recovery and present him in court on Thursday

The opposition party, founded by jailed former prime minister Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) legal head, Intazar Hussain Panjutha, has reportedly gone missing, party lawyer said.

Panjutha, who recently filed a contempt petition challenging restrictions on meetings between PTI founder Imran Khan and his lawyers, was last seen the previous evening.

PTI lawyer Faisal Hussain Chaudhry expressed alarm over the situation, saying in a post on social media platform X, "It’s an alarming situation that our legal team head, Intazar Hussain Panjutha, is missing since last evening. We have not been able to establish contact with him. I am extremely worried. He filed contempt against meeting restrictions with Imran Khan."

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued notices to the Interior Secretary and the Adiala Jail Superintendent for allegedly preventing Imran Khan from meeting with his legal team.

Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, hearing the contempt of court petition filed by Khan’s lawyers, emphasized that while no court orders had been violated, there must be clarity on the procedures for such meetings.

The petition, filed by PTI legal head Intazar Hussain Panjutha, named the Interior Secretary and the Adiala Jail Superintendent as respondents.

The judge advised PTI’s legal team to consider additional legal aspects of the case while noting that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for meetings had been outlined by a previous court ruling

Condemnations

Leader of the Opposition Omar Ayub Khan also condemned Panjutha's disappearance, blaming Pakistan's intelligence agency for the incident.

"Advocate Intazar Panjutha, my colleague and friend, has been abducted by the intelligence agencies (ISI, MI, IB, FIU, SB). He is now an Enforced Disappeared Person," he wrote on his official X handle.

"A question to Shahbaz Sharif, the establishment and the DGs of ISI, MI, FIU, IB, SB - what are you trying to prove by abducting innocent lawyers, politicians and ordering a crackdown on innocent protesters? Do you think that you will suppress the will of the people with these measures? Do you think that you will scare the people into silence? Do you think that you will make Pakistan a stronger, better country with these fascist draconian moves? Do you honestly believe that you will escape the wrath of the people? Do you honestly believe that you will live and rule forever? Pharoah Ramses II thought the same. See his mummified remains and despair, for only Allah Almighty is eternal. Everything else shall perish."

PTI called the incident "disgusting and shameful".

"Intazar Panjutha must be recovered immediately, such action only proves once again how Imran Khan is facing denied basic human and legal rights," it said.

His brother, Nadeem Haider Panjutha, also confirmed PTI lawyer's disappearance.

"My brother, Advocate Intizar Hussain Panjotha, was abducted by unknown individuals around 4 PM yesterday. There is neither law nor constitution in the country; anyone can be taken away, subjected to violence, and forced to change loyalties,” he wrote on X.

He urged all bar councils, lawyers, and the judiciary to take notice. “The law of the jungle prevails in the country."

IHC orders authorities to present Panjutha in court tomorrow

Meanwhile, a petition has been filed in the IHC regarding Panjhuta’s alleged disappearance.

The petition stated that there has been no contact with Panjutha since 4 PM on Tuesday.

“Efforts have been made to locate him, and law enforcement agencies, including the police, have been contacted, but no information about his whereabouts has been found so far,” it added.

The petition requested the court to issue an order for his recovery.

The federal government has been made a party to the case through the Interior and Defense Secretaries, while the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad, FIA, and Inspector General of Islamabad Police have also been named as respondents.

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court has issued a notice to the Inspector General of Islamabad Police, instructing him to ensure the recovery of Panjutha and present him in court on Thursday.

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