Produce missing persons or face mass suspensions

QUETTA - Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Thursday ordered the officials concerned to produce all the missing persons before the court today (Friday), warning that all of them could be suspended in case of failure.He issued this direction while heading a three-member bench hearing the case regarding law and order in Balochistan and the missing persons at the Quetta Registry of the apex court.None of the missing was produced before the court by the authorities who were ordered to produce them during last two day’s hearing. The bench observed that no one has so far dared to reveal who had been keeping the missing persons.The CJ asked IGP Rao Amin Hashim to tell the court where they were being held. “No one is telling the court as to from where the ten missing people, who were recently produced before the court, were recovered… Are the missing persons in custody of police and Levies?“ remarked CJP Chaudhry, saying that secret agencies proclaimed they do not have the missing the persons.The CJ said if police was not disclosing their whereabouts then they must be in the safe houses of police. The IGP replied that police could not make safe houses in Balochistan because there was a tribal society in the province. The CJ also expressed displeasure over non-recovery of kidnapped Makesh Kohli advocate. The IGP was also questioned as to whether he told the governor and chief minister about security situation in the province. At this, he requested the court to hear them in-camera. SCBA President Yaseen Azad said that police was not revealing truth for it was frightened while FC was mostly being blamed for missing persons. The CJ stressed that nothing would be helpful until substantial facts about the missing persons were provided. On this, the home secretary apprised the bench that the department lacks information about each and every missing person.FC DIG Brig Shahzad denied there was any missing person in agency’s custody. The CJ remarked that every person who appeared here held FC responsible. FC DIG said this was regrettable. Addressing Brigadier Shehzad, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain said, “People do not respect you. Your uniform should be esteemed; instead, people are afraid of you.”Sister of one of the missing, Gulzar Marri, wept before the bench while recording her statement. At this, chief justice ordered that Gulzar must be recovered and presented before the court by today (Friday).When the court asked Advocate General about CM Aslam Raisani and Home Minister Zafarullah Zehri who were ordered to appear in court, he said they were in Islamabad for important meetings. The lawyers assisting the bench said that CM had not gone there for serving Balochistan’s interests but to enjoy pleasant weather. They said even the cabinet meetings were being held in Islamabad.Justice Khilji Arif Hussain said that the situation makes them worry as the people who were to run Balochistan were not giving it importance. Justice Tariq Pervez said that the bureaucracy was running the affaires of the province. The court once again ordered the home minister to appear before the court today to explain his statement wherein he had claimed involvement of some minister in the kidnapping for ransom. The AG told the court that Zehri has given a statement that no minister was involved in kidnapping. At this, chief Justice remarked it means that earlier home minister was telling a lie. If his new statement is true, “the minister has maligned a constitutional government by making false statement” and he will have to explain this affair or face consequences, the bench remarked.

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