QUETTA: Following the directives of Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the Quetta police produced four out of seven missing people of Marri tribe before the three-member bench of Supreme Court on Friday.
A total of ten men were picked up during a raid in the Sariab Mill area of Quetta on March 1. Three of them were later released, while seven others had been listed as missing.The apex court bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Pervez, resumed the hearing on deteriorating law and order and human rights situation in Balochistan. The chief justice passed strict remarks over the recovery of two more mutilated bodies from Mastung and said there was no difference between humans and animals in Balochistan. “I think I should stay in Quetta for a month,” he remarked.Chief Justice expressed his strong resentment over the absence of Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) and directed him to appear on next date of hearing.
“I had directed the attorney general during the previous hearing that he should appear before the court in order to assist on how to resolve the Balochistan issue. He must be careful and appear on next date of hearing,” the chief justice ordered.The bench observed that the AGP was more focussed on other issues in Islamabad rather than Balochistan.The police, who had earlier told the court that they did not know about these missing persons, produced four missing men including Hazar Khan, Mazar Khan, Malik Sher and Javed Marri.Chief Justice suspended New Sariab SHO Noor Bakhsh Mengal over his false statement about the missing persons and directed the police chief to arrest him.He reiterated that he would suspend the Balochistan IGP and other officials concerned if the remaining three persons are not produced before the court by Monday.
Frontier Corps Inspector General (IG FC) Major-General Ubaidullah Khan Khattak also appeared before the court and categorically rejected the charges against the FC.“PPP MPA Sadiq Umrani during the Balochistan Assembly proceedings accused the FC of kidnapping and killing two persons near Kalat and Mastung. It is a serious allegation and the MPA was accompanied by two ministers when this incident took place and they cannot lie on the floor of the house,” the chief justice told the IG FC.The IG FC said his institution had issued a statement very next day and categorically stated that no such incident took place.“The contradictions are not enough and every next day we read news against the FC for its involvement in kidnappings and dumping bodies,” the court observed, adding that the FC was present to assist the police and levies.“Such acts will create serious problem for you,” Justice Iftikhar told the FC chief.The court directed the IG FC to appear before the court along with complete report on the next hearing.
A woman appeared before the bench and informed the chief justice that her brother Dr Naseer and his two friends, Hafiz Rudini and Akhtar Langov, had been missing after they were picked up allegedly by the government functionaries from Killi Ismail in Quetta on April 3.The bench took notice of the incident and directed the Jinnah Town SP to ensure the safe recovery of these missing persons by April 10.“The court will register an FIR under Section 302 of PPC against the SO concerned if one of the three missing persons is found dead,” Justice Khilji Arif Hussain told the police.The home secretary informed the court that as many as 1,056 people, including 227 FC personnel and 196 policemen, had been killed in Balochistan since 2009, while 250 people lost their lives in targeted attacks in sectarian violence.The chief justice expressed his anger, saying the figures reflected the failure of government and its functionaries.
“The crimes are on the rise and there is no one to control and protect the rights of common people,” he remarked.He noted that the police had become incompetent institution.The chief justice adjourned the hearing till April 12 that will take place in Islamabad, while the bench is scheduled to return to Quetta on April 30.On the other hand, the daughter of Balukh Sher Marri, who is still missing along with two other relatives, told media that the four people produced before the court had been kept in a dark room. “All they seven were kept in a separate room and their faces were covered with masks. I thank the chief justice and hope recovery of the remaining three persons, who are also in the custody of law enforcement agencies,” she told the reporters outside the Balochistan High Court building.She said the missing persons were students belonged to restive Kohlu district.
Meanwhile, the chief justice asked the Sindh Police chief to appear before the court and inform the bench about the progress in the murder of wife and daughter of Bakhtiar Domki.The bench showed annoyance when it was informed that the investigation officer was abroad and the case was handed over to another officer. “This is an important case with a direct impact on Balochistan situation,” the bench observed.The judges said how the investigation officer went to the United States for training without informing the court, saying, “We can call him back if it needed.” – Nation
