LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday summoned the Superintendent of Police (Investigation) in a case concerning the disappearance of journalist Rana Shahid Mahmood.
Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh issued the directive, and ordered the police to intensify their efforts to locate the missing journalist.
Barrister Karimullah Sraw represented the petitioner, Fraz Shahid, who is Mahmood’s son, while Sittar Sahil appeared as the law officer for the state.
During the proceedings, the police reported their inability to recover the missing journalist. In response, Justice Sheikh called for the SP Investigation to appear in court and postponed the hearing until September 2, 2024.
Previously, the court had directed a deputy superintendent to assist in locating the journalist. Rana Shahid Mahmood, who served as the chairman of the Sambrial Press Club, went missing from a local café in Sambrial at midnight on July 1, 2024.
Fraz Shahid alleged that his father, a journalist known for reporting on drug dealers, was abducted by unknown individuals who transported him to an undisclosed location. He highlighted that CCTV footage, which was later provided to the police, might aid in the investigation.
The petitioner requested the court to issue orders for the police to expedite the search for his father. He noted that the abduction occurred in the presence of local police officers, as indicated by the CCTV footage, which also showed individuals in police uniforms at the scene.
Despite ongoing efforts, Fraz Shahid reported that there have been no significant leads in his father’s case. The FIR (1426/24) was filed by Tahir Sarwar, the journalist’s nephew, at Sambrial police station under Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860.
Sarwar stated that Rana Shahid Mahmood was taken by 20 to 25 masked individuals who arrived in multiple vehicles, including pickup trucks, a Kia Sportage, and a Honda Civic.
The kidnappers reportedly used firearms to arrested Mahmood and also removed the CCTV’s CDR from the café.
