Poet Ahmed Farhad arrested by AJK police, AGP tells IHC

ISLAMABAD: The Attorney General for Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, Wednesday informed the Islamabad High Court about the whereabouts of missing Kashmiri poet Ahmed Farhad.

According to the AGP, the poet has been “arrested and currently in police custody” in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The AGP revealed the information during the hearing of a petition seeking the recovery of poet.

Urooj Zainab, Farhad’s wife who moved the IHC on May 15, sought her husband’s recovery and requested the court to identify, investigate and prosecute those responsible for his disappearance.

The plea is being heard by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, while human rights lawyer Iman Mazari is representing Zainab in the case.

A report by the Dhir Kot Kashmir police station was also presented before the court.

In conversation with journalists outside the IHC, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the police are investigating the Kashmiri poet’s case. “Ahmad Farhad is in Azad Kashmir. I assisted on constitutional matters as a judicial assistant,” he said, explaining his presence at the court on Wednesday.

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said parliament should also play its role as children as young as 14 years old were being used as suicide bombers. Farhad, known for his defiant prose, was allegedly abducted from his house on May 14.During the hearing of the case on May 21, AGP Awan assured the court about rescuing and recovering the poet following the IHC orders. “[We] will do whatever it takes. We will rescue and recover Farhad,” the AGP said while addressing the IHC judge and taking the responsibility to look into the matter.

During the hearing, Justice Kayani ordered the AGP to ensure that no one gets picked up from Islamabad. “If a person does not get recovered, it will be a failure of the state,” the judge said.

Responding to the remark, AGP Awan asked for time to ensure the poet’s recovery.

Meanwhile, the petitioner’s lawyer asked the AGP to share the progress on recovery made in the last six days. “If the agencies don’t have him, then he can be traced at least,” she argued.

Hours after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) was informed about the whereabouts of missing Kashmiri poet Ahmed Farhad, his family met him at a police station in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The family of missing poet met Farhad at the Kahori police station situated outside Muzaffarabad following the court hearing.

Following the meeting, the brother of missing poet told reporters the condition of Farhad was stable and they would now fight the legal battle in the AJK. The development came after the family complained that the AJK police were not cooperating with them by not disclosing the location of the missing poet.