ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday accepted the applications of former chief minister Akhtar Mengal and Talal Bugti, son of late Nawab Akbar Bugti, to become party in the Balochistan law and order case.
Mengal has been allowed to record his statement before the bench on September 27. In his application, the former chief minister of Balochistan stated that he wanted to explain the facts about the deteriorating law and order situation in the province.
A three-judge bench - comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain - was hearing the petition filed by the Balochistan High Court Bar Association (BHCBA) over the worsening law and order situation in the province.
The court further directed the interior secretary and Islamabad Police IG to provide security to Akhtar Mengal.
Onset of the hearing, Vice-President BHCBA Sajid Tareen informed the court that Mengal was currently abroad, therefore, sometime be given for his appearance before the bench.
He, however, requested the court that the security agencies be directed to provide full security to Mengal on his arrival and stay in Islamabad as he was not allowed to bring his personal guards.
The court directed the secretary interior and Islamabad Police chief to remain in contact with BHCBA President Zahoor Shehwani and Tareen regarding the security for the former chief minister, adding that the SC registrar would monitor the security affairs on the arrival of Mengal.
The court nominated Munir A Malik, Salman Akram Raja, President Supreme Court Bar Association Yasin Azad, Vice-Chairman Pakistan Bar Council Akhtar Hussain and Rasheed Rizvi as amicus curae.
The SC office was directed to supply the copies of the petitions and the court orders to them for the preparation of the case. The chief justice ordered the Balochistan home secretary to submit weekly report on payment of compensation to the victims and missing persons’ families. Later, the hearing of the case was adjourned till September 27.