The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday expressed its displeasure over the non-recovery of missing persons despite its express orders.
During the hearing of identical petitions seeking the recovery of missing persons, Chief Justice Athar Minallah warned that the prime minister could be summoned for explanation if the authorities failed to implement the orders. The chief justice said the prime minister should make sure that the missing persons were produced before the court within the required
time period. The order said it was imperative for PM Shehbaz to provide a clarification regarding why the state was unable to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities.
The prime minister is bound to appraise the court about the action taken against the people responsible for the missing persons case, the court added.
“It is a fact that nobody is doing anything [about it],” Justice Minallah remarked.
When asked how many people were missing, the deputy attorney general apprised the court that out of 8,400 people, 600 citizens were still missing.
“Many people are playing a double role in the case; they are playing from both sides,” he added.
The deputy attorney general admitted that things were not the way they should be but assured that the cabinet committee will adequately address the matter and added that the “agencies were under the control of the federal government”.
Reprimanding the deputy attorney general, the court asked, “Then, what is the purpose of recruiting so many policemen?”
At this, PPP leader Farhatullah Babar said, “So many people have been picked up but it is not known yet who picked them.”
“Which party do you represent? Has it ever been in government?” asked the court.
Babar said he was affiliated with the PPP and it had been in the government.
“When people were picked up in your government, then what did you do? inquired the judge. Meanwhile, the court appointed Farhatullah Babar and Islamabad Bar Council’s member Advocate Abid Nazir as amici curiae.
Farhatullah Babar urged the court to make Mansoor Alam Commission report public. He suggested that the prime minister should be summoned, as calling other officers was useless.
Later, the court adjourned that hearing till September 9.
