Police register case against kidnapping of Imran Khan's lawyer

Pakistani authorities have registered a kidnapping case at Hassan Abdal police station following the recovery of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's lawyer Intizar Hussain Panjutha, with Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) official Asif Iqbal serving as the complainant. However, the opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has rejected the police narrative, claiming the incident was staged.

First Information Report (FIR) regarding Panjutha's kidnapping.Punjab Police

According to the police report filed against unknown kidnappers, law enforcement signaled a suspicious vehicle to stop at a checkpoint in Hassan Abdal. When the vehicle attempted to flee instead of stopping, police initiated a chase, leading to Panjutha's recovery from the abandoned vehicle.

Panjutha was allegedly being being held captive for ransom since his October 8 disappearance from Islamabad.

Police say they have launched a search operation for the escaped suspects, while the circumstances of his recovery have sparked controversy among PTI leadership.

"Intizar Hussain has been severely tortured and punished for being Imran Khan's lawyer," said PTI Central Leader Amir Mughal in a statement on Sunday. "He was kidnapped through collusion between the illegitimate government and its facilitators for raising his voice against serious human rights violations in Pakistan."

The party is calling on Pakistan's Chief Justice to establish an empowered judicial commission to investigate the incident.

The incident has raised concerns about the safety of legal professionals in Pakistan. PTI officials are questioning whether "Supreme Court lawyers and then honorable judges will also be kidnapped one by one after the common people," according to Mughal's statement.

Correlation or causation?

The recovery comes just days after Pakistan's Attorney General told the Islamabad High Court that Panjutha would be found within 24 hours, a statement PTI leaders now cite as evidence of state involvement in the lawyer's disappearance.

"The biggest proof of this is the Attorney General of Pakistan's statement in the High Court yesterday that he would be released within 24 hours, and the next day Intizar Hussain's recovery by Punjab Police proves coordination between the kidnappers, Punjab Police, and the Attorney General," PTI Central Leader Amir Mughal's statement said.

"The scripted pathetic manner in which Imran Khan's lawyer has been 'recovered' is shameful," PTI leader Hammad Azhar posted on social media platform X, suggesting Panjutha was "forced to give a false account of his abduction even during his fragile state."

Who is Intizar Hussain Panjutha?

Panjutha serves as one of the primary defense lawyers for jailed former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, who faces numerous criminal cases including charges under Pakistan's Official Secrets Act, allegations of corruption in the Toshakhana case, and accusations related to the May 9 riots.

Khan, who was ousted through a no-confidence vote in April 2022, maintains these charges are politically motivated.

Panjutha's role has become increasingly prominent as Khan's legal troubles mounted, particularly in defending the former premier in the cipher case, where Khan is accused of exposing state secrets by releasing a confidential diplomatic cable to the public.

PTI alleges that Panjutha's abduction follows a pattern of intimidation against Khan's legal team. According to the party, his kidnapping was orchestrated by state actors to pressure him into abandoning Khan's defense.

Law enforcement authorities have consistently denied these allegations.