Islamabad, Pakistan — Intazar Ahmad Panjutha, a prominent lawyer representing Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has reappeared after vanishing nearly a month ago. The circumstances of his disappearance, which occurred on October 8 as he was returning to his home in Islamabad, had sparked widespread speculation of an “enforced disappearance.” Late Saturday, police officials and Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party confirmed his return under dramatic and mysterious conditions.
Following assurances from Pakistan’s attorney general to a federal high court that Panjutha would be found within a day, local police intercepted a suspicious vehicle in Hassan Abdul, just northwest of Islamabad. Authorities reported that armed individuals within the vehicle opened fire at police before fleeing the scene, leaving behind the bound and visibly distressed lawyer.
Videos circulating online shortly after the recovery show Panjutha, tied up and visibly shaken, revealing that his captors had demanded a ransom and subjected him to severe custodial torture. Khan’s PTI party, however, has challenged the police narrative, insisting that Panjutha was compelled into making these statements and reiterated their accusations of abduction by security forces.
Salman Akram Raja, the secretary general of PTI, emphasized the gravity of Panjutha’s ordeal, describing it as an attempt to instill fear through the dissemination of his plight. Meanwhile, a police spokesperson refuted claims of staging the encounter, affirming that officers had rescued Panjutha from kidnappers.
The situation garnered attention on social media as well, with Absa Komal, a prime-time news anchor, reflecting on Panjutha’s drastically changed demeanor post-release. She criticized the handling and presentation of the lawyer after his ordeal, sparking further debate about the actions of Pakistan’s decision-makers.
This incident underscores the tense political climate in Pakistan following Khan’s removal from office through a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in 2022 and his subsequent imprisonment on multiple contentious charges, including corruption and incitement of violence. Khan, a former cricket star turned prime minister, has consistently dismissed these legal challenges as politically motivated, attributing them to the military’s alleged involvement in his ouster.
Domestic and international human rights organizations have intensified their scrutiny and criticism of Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies, accusing them of suppressing political dissent and overtly influencing government operations. Historical context reflects a troubled relationship between military leadership and civilian governance in Pakistan, with the army having overtaken political power multiple times since the country’s independence.
The international community, including over 60 Democratic U.S. lawmakers, has expressed concern over the perceived erosion of human rights in Pakistan. A letter addressed to President Joe Biden highlighted the need for the release of Khan and other political prisoners, describing the current governance as a “military rule with a civilian facade.”
Responding to these international concerns, the government of Pakistan has maintained that such perspectives stem from a misinterpretation of the nation’s political dynamics.
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