PESHAWAR:
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has issued notices to the federal government, the director general of FIA and the director general of immigration and passports, seeking response to a petition filed for the recovery of a Russian national who allegedly disappeared after arriving in Pakistan.
A single-member bench headed by Chief Justice SM Atiq Shah heard the case. During the proceedings, the petitioner’s lawyer Mohsin Farooq Advocate, Additional Solicitor General Nomanul Haq Kakakhel and Assistant Attorney General Atif Nazeer appeared before the court.
The petitioner’s counsel informed the bench that the Russian national, Mahmud Glegov, arrived in Islamabad in January 2025 and later traveled to Peshawar where he allegedly disappeared. He said there has been no sign of him since, nor any information on who may have taken him. He added that the petition was filed to ensure his safe recovery.
Read more: LHC questions Nasir Bagh tree removal
At this point, the Additional Solicitor General told the court that a report had been received from the CTD, but the department itself had no information. The Assistant Attorney General stated that the authorities were not even sure if the Russian national had actually entered Pakistan or if he had actually arrived in Islamabad.
Reacting to this, the Chief Justice observed that the first clarification needed is whether he landed at Islamabad Airport, after which the government could be questioned. The petitioner’s lawyer confirmed that the Russian national arrived in Islamabad, communicated with his brother, received a visa from Moscow and left for Pakistan in January 2025.
The Chief Justice directed DG FIA and DG Immigration & Passport to investigate the matter thoroughly and submit a detailed report confirming whether the petitioner’s brother left for Pakistan. Both the departments were directed to submit their reports before the next hearing.
The bench subsequently issued formal notices to the federal government, DG FIA and DG Immigration & Passports seeking their response and adjourned the matter.
