In a significant development, Punjab police successfully rescued Intezar Hussain Panjutha, the lawyer for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, after an exchange of gunfire with suspected kidnappers in Hassan Abdal.
The incident occurred late Saturday night when Attock police officers stopped a suspicious vehicle during a routine checkpoint. According to a police spokesperson, the vehicle was carrying a “gang of kidnappers” and an abducted individual. When intercepted, the kidnappers opened fire on the police, who retaliated, prompting the assailants to flee, abandoning the vehicle. Inside, police found Panjutha tied up.
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The abducted lawyer was taken to a hospital for medical treatment, where he shared that he had endured severe torture during his captivity. Panjutha revealed that he was kidnapped from Islamabad on October 8, with his abductors demanding a ransom of Rs.20 million.
“The kidnappers spoke in Pashto, which I couldn’t understand. I was kept tied up until Saturday evening,” Panjutha recounted, adding that he was moved for three to four hours continuously. “I had no idea where I was being taken or how far we had traveled,” he said.
The police stated that an investigation is underway to identify those responsible for the abduction.
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Panjutha had been missing since October 8, and a case related to his disappearance was ongoing in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). During a recent hearing, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq was informed that efforts were in progress to recover the lawyer. Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan assured the court that Panjutha would be located by the following day.
Justice Farooq remarked that if Panjutha was found, further hearings would be unnecessary, but if not, the attorney general would be required to return for the next session.