FIR against PM, if all missing Baloch students were not recovered,Islamabad High Court

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday expressed anger over the authorities’ failure to recover all missing Baloch students and warned the caretaker premier of legal action if its directives are not implemented.

A single bench of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard a petition regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances.

Today’s hearing was attended by Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, Human Rights Minister Khalil George, lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari, and others.

The attorney general of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan informed the judge that the premier is currently on a week-long trip to the Mideast.He stated that 22 Baloch students had been recovered and sent back home while 28 were still missing.

Expressing displeasure, Justice Kayani said the missing persons is a matter of basic human rights. He remarked that it was a matter of fundamental rights, lamenting that things were being done in the country without any fear of consequences.

Referring to the missing persons, the senior judge wondered: “Are such things take place in a civilised society? Every missing person who is recovered says I don’t want to pursue the case.”

Justice Kayani observed that all the missing persons in question were students. “These are our people, and the entire blame is being laid on security agencies,” he remarked.

In his statement before the court, Interior Minister Bugti asserted that there was no justification for the disappearance of any individual who had gone missing. “We will fulfill our responsibility,” he assured the court.

“Why are people detained by institutions not presented before the court?” the judge asked, adding that the “problem is that the institutions facing allegations are also the ones responsible for investigating the matter”.

“Will we realise the gravity of the matter only when we ourselves go missing?” , Justice Kayani reamrked.The purpose of summoning the prime minister was so that he could meet the families of missing persons, he added.

Justice Kayani also warned of registering a case against the prime minister and the interior minister if missing persons were not recovered.

Justice Kayani further noted that “the system is being run due to sacrifices made by personnel of the Pakistan Army and security agencies”.

The judge emphasised that anyone involved in anti-state activities must be dealt with according to the law but should also be presented before the court.

He said if the trial of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav can be held then anyone can be tried if they had committed any crime.