IHC orders SECP official’s recovery

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday directed authorities to recover Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan's (SECP) Additional Joint Director Sajid Gondal by tomorrow (Monday). The IHC was conducting a hearing of the petition filed by Gondal's mother at the high court over her son's disappearance. The SECP official went missing on Thursday evening, prompting top government officials, including Human Rights Minister Dr Shireen Mazari and PM’s Special Assistant on Accountability Shahzad Akbar to issue directives for his "early recovery" on Friday.

During the hearing, the court remarked that if Gondal was not recovered by 2:00pm on Monday, then the secretary of the Interior Ministry will have to appear in person before the court. "If Sajid Gondal is not recovered (by Monday) then the chief commissioner and IG police will also present themselves before the court," said the IHC. A copy of the court's order was also sent to the secretary Cabinet Division.

After directives from top government officials to recover Gondal, Islamabad Police registered a case against unidentified persons for the disappearance of the SECP official. The case was registered at Shahzad Town Police Station on the complaint of the SECP official's wife, confirmed police.