SC rues 'wish list on Baloch law, order

ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Monday while hearing the Balochistan law and order case directed the provincial chief secretary to share the findings of the judicial commission report constituted over the killing of Chechens in Quetta. Last week, police and Frontier Corps in Kharotabad area of Quetta had killed five Chechens including three women. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Muhammad Sair Ali and Justice Ghulam Rabbani heard the petition on Balochistan law and order and target killing filed by Balochistan High Court Bar Association President Hadi Shakeel Ahmed against the target killings and kidnapping for ransom in the province. The chief justice stated that killings of the five Chechens had defamed the country. Justice Rabbani questioned why the action had not been taken against FC Colonel and the Balochistan CCPO. Ahmed Bux Lehri, Balochistan Chief Secretary, informed the court that the judicial commission headed by a BHC judge had been constituted to probe the death of Chechens, adding the FC Colonel and the CCPO were federal government employees, therefore they could not take action against them. The CJP remarked the judicial commissions had been set up in the past as well and they had prepared the reports which were never made public. This was the reason that judiciary had been criticised, he said, adding people were right in saying that whenever an issue had to be put on the backburner a commission should be constituted. The chief justice directed the chief secretary to share the finding of the report with the apex court. Over the PNS Mehran terrorist attack, the chief justice remarked what had been happening in Karachi since Sundays night was a matter of great concern, adding it seemed the government had failed to maintain its writ. Justice (r) Tariq Mehmood, counsel for the petitioner, informed the court that more than 51 persons had been killed in two months. Balochistan Advocate General Amanullah Kunrani said the disturbance in the province was started in 2000. The chief justice remarked the violence started in Balochistan after the death of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti. He inquired why the people involved in Bugtis killing were not arrested so far. The chief justice asked the secretary that they had to go to the root cause of the worsening law and order situation of the province, adding this was the high time to take some concrete measures. The CJP ordered Lehri that being the head of the provincial administration it was his responsibility to maintain the law and order, and asked him to submit details about the compensation paid to victim families so far. Lehri at one point admitted there was flaw in maintaining law and order situation in the province. He said there were 0.7 million Afghans living in Balochistan. The CS submitted the report of last three years over the law and order situation in Balochistan. The court expressed it dissatisfaction over the report. Justice Sair Ali said the list they had submitted was more a wish list than a working plan or strategy. He said in June 2008 the provincial government had itself accepted that there was total breakdown of law and order in the province and a notification was issued in this regard. The CJP asked the chief secretary whether he was aware of the consequences of the break down in law and order. The chief justice remarked that the measure you mentioned in the report was long term and asked about the short terms measures the provincial government had taken to overcome worsening law and order situation. The court inquired about the recovery of two lawyers. The CS hoped they would be recovered soon. The secretary said they were preparing a policy in light of the recommendations mentioned in senators Raza Rabbani, Wasim Sajjad and Mushahid Hussain committees reports. The case was adjourned for two weeks.

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