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SC orders to present missing persons TuesdayISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has ordered the Defence Minister Khawaja Asif to register the murder case of two missing persons who died under the custody of the agency, Geo News reported.
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Amir Hani Muslim heard the missing persons’ case Monday. The CJ had already made it clear in Karachi that this case would be heard on daily basis.
The Chief Justice observed that the death of two missing persons under the custody of the agency was murder. He ordered to present remaining 33 missing persons before the court on Tuesday by 11 AM.
During the proceedings, Attorney General appeared in the apex court and stated that the two out of 35 missing persons have died by now.
He ordered the Defence Minister Khawaja Asif to register an FIR of the two persons who went missing and later died in agency’s custody after consulting the head of Malakand detention centre. He further instructed the minister to inform the court about the nomination in the case till evening.
The CJ said that if he failed to register the case, then it will hint towards serious atrocities in the system. He said that the judges can’t chase any accused nor they have weapons in their hands, it is his duty to ensure the implementation of orders.
Earlier, Khawaja Asif had pleaded the court for three days time as he had recently taken charge as defence minister. Replying to this, the CJ refused to give even a day due to the gravity of the situation. He continued saying that missing persons are dying now and the government is silent over the issue. One person died in July, and the government is responsible for his death.
Khawaja Asif said the government is legislating over the issue of missing persons and will present a bill in the National Assembly in few days. On this, CJ Iftikhar responded that first recover the 33 missing persons and then the government can continue with the legislation.
CJ Iftikhar has also ordered to conduct the autopsy of the dead missing persons.
Earlier, the Attorney General had told the court that one missing person died in December 2012 and the other in July 2013 due to natural causes. He told that the bodies will be handed over to the families after medico-legal procedures.
Courtesy www.geo.tv