News
Thursday, June 21, 2012
SC orders agencies to produce missing persons on next hearing* Defence secretary assures court that she will make all efforts in missing persons issue
* Court orders action against agencies if they fail to recover missing persons
By Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered intelligence agencies and police to recover and produce the missing persons before the court in next hearing.
The SC also ordered the federal defence secretary, the Balochistan chief secretary, the Balochistan home secretary, the Balochistan inspector general (IG) and the FC IG to take concrete measures for the recovery of missing persons.
The court ordered the Balochistan government to provide Rs 1 million compensation each to the heirs of 381 people found dead in the restive province. The court also ordered the provincial government to submit a compliance report on July 9.
In the last hearing, the attorney general had told the court that on the intervention of the former prime minister a high-level committee was formed in this regard. He had also submitted the committee’s report before the bench.
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, noted that though the committee had presented its report, but no practical steps had been taken for the recovery of the missing persons.
Balochistan Home Secretary Naseemullah Bazai told the court 381 bodies had been found from various parts of the province. Of them, 102 bodies were found in 2010, 203 in 2011 and 76 in 2012.
He said further the Balochistan government had framed a policy to pay Rs 0.4 million compensation to the relatives of every deceased, adding that in this regard the district committees have been directed to complete formalities.
The CJP said it was a small amount and ordered the secretary to give at least Rs 1 million to the heirs of each deceased. The CJP also ordered the secretary to pay the amount within three days.
“It is the duty of the state to recover and produce the missing persons,” the CJP said, adding that if they were alleged criminals, terrorists and involved in anti-state activities they should be dealt in line with law. “It is the duty of all agencies and the police to recover and produce the missing persons before the court on July 9,” he also said.
Defence Secretary Nargis Sethi, appearing before the court on short notice, informed the bench that she would make all efforts for the recovery of missing persons. She said, “I submitted a report about 93 missing persons at the Interior Ministry.”
The CJP ordered her to convene a meeting of the heads of all intelligence agencies at her office and discuss the matter.
“Ask them to find out the missing persons. If they don’t do it then take action against them,” he also said. Justice Jawwad S Khawaja said, “This is not impossible or very difficult exercise to trace out the missing persons. Now mere claims will be sufficient, but you have to prove your action.”
Balochistan Home Minister Zafarullah Khan Zehri, allegedly involved in kidnapping of two people, was ordered to appear during the next hearing. Justice Khawaja said Ayesha Bibi, whose sons were missing, had claimed that her sons were in the custody of Zehri. The judge said that the poor woman had requested the court to order Zehri to release them.
The court was informed that for the last eight years he was on bail. Expressing annoyance, the court said how was Zehri granted bail when he was allegedly involved in the kidnapping of two persons. The CJP ordered the Registrar to get a report from a sessions judge, who granted bail to Zehri.
During the proceedings, the CJP said Duran Khan, brother of a missing person, had alleged that the FC officials were involved in the abduction of his brother Abdul Malik. He said the Quetta sessions judge had probed the matter and submitted a report. The report also read that the involvement of FC officials in the kidnapping could not be ruled out.
The Balochistan interior secretary complained that there was no check on issuance of mobile phone SIMs by the mobile phone companies.
The case was adjourned until July 9. The hearing would held in SC Quetta Registry.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk