On Wednesday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) extended a 13-day deadline to the Inspector General (IG) of Punjab for the recovery of anchorperson Imran Riaz, according to ARY News. The case was presided over by a high court bench led by Chief Justice Ameer Bhatti, who was addressing a petition submitted by Imran Riaz's father.
The petitioner sought the recovery of his son, who has been missing since his arrest in Sialkot on May 11. During the proceedings, IG Punjab Usman Anwar provided an update, stating that there had been positive progress in the efforts to locate Imran Riaz. He requested additional time from the court, assuring that promising news would be delivered within the next 10 to 15 days.
The chief justice expressed the need for visible progress in the case, remarking that more time was being requested. In response, IG Punjab committed to providing good news within a 10-day timeframe. The petitioner's counsel also pleaded for a meeting between IG Punjab and Imran Riaz's father and legal team, which was granted by Chief Justice Bhatti. The meeting was scheduled to take place at 5:00 PM on the same evening.
The background of the case involves the registration of an abduction First Information Report (FIR) at the Civil Line police station. This FIR was filed at the behest of the missing anchorperson's father, and it includes abduction charges against unidentified individuals, as confirmed by the District Police Officer (DPO) of Sialkot. The case underscores the urgent need for the safe recovery of Imran Riaz and the pursuit of justice in this matter