No pilgrims without NoC can go to Iran, court told

QUETTA - The Balochistan High Court has expressed its resentment over the progress in probe into Mastung attack, which left 26 Shia pilgrims dead when gunmen attacked a bus at Ganjdori area. The BHC took suo moto notice of the tragic incident. BHC Chief Justice Qazi Faez Essa and Justice Hashim Khan Kakar heard the suo moto case Monday. The advocate general submitted a statement on behalf of the Balochistan government, stating that a high-level committee was formed to investigate security lapse. He said besides increasing the deployment of police and Levies Force, three platoons of FC were requisitioned for improvement of security in Mastung. He added that it had been decided that no pilgrims could go to Iran by road without taking NoC from the home department of the province. The advocate general informed the court that the task of investigation had been transferred to Crimes Investigation Department. The court accepted an application by the Hazara Democratic Party to become a party in the case and adjourned the hearing till October 4. Earlier, the chief justice expressed his resentment over the investigation, saying that the Balochistan government was pushing the province towards destruction by entrusting the responsibility of investigation of such a serious case to an inexperience official of the Levies Force. He directed the authorities concerned to issue notices to the Supreme Court Bar Association and other bodies of lawyers to assist the court whether the high court has powers of taking suo moto notice or not.

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