On March 19, 2025, the mother of U.S.-based investigative journalist Ahmad Noorani filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking the recovery of her two sons, Saifur Rehman Haider and Muhammad Ali. According to the petition, they were forcibly taken from their Islamabad residence at 1:05 am by unidentified individuals, allegedly linked to intelligence agencies. The petitioner contends that this act aims to intimidate Noorani due to his recent investigative reporting on a high-ranking military officer.Â
The petition, filed under Article 199 of the Constitution, names the Federation of Pakistan through the Interior Secretary, the Defence Ministry via its Secretary, Islamabad Inspector General of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, and the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Noon Police Station as respondents. It argues that the abduction appears to be a state-enforced disappearance targeting Noorani’s journalism and emphasizes that the detained brothers are engineers with no involvement in Noorani’s work. The petitioner also noted that an application for a First Information Report (FIR) was submitted but has yet to be registered.Â
The petition seeks immediate court intervention to locate and produce the missing brothers, investigate and prosecute those responsible for the abduction, disclose any charges against the detained individuals, and ensure their access to legal representation and family visits.Â
