Interim PM, ministers warned of case registration if missing Baloch youth not recovered

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) warned interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and other ministers on Wednesday that a case would be registered against them if missing Baloch students were not recovered. Presiding over the hearing Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani said the caretaker premier, defence minister, interior minister, and secretaries of defence and interior would be held accountable as the court heard the case related to the implementation of the recommendations of the Baloch Students Recovery Commission. During the last hearing, the IHC summoned PM Kakar, along with the interior minister and defence minister if the 69 missing Baloch students were not recovered by today. While the prime minister did not attend the hearing today, interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti, Human Rights Minister Khalil George and the families of the missing Baloch youth were present in the court. Read PM summoned in missing persons case The attorney general of Pakistan (AGP) informed the court that 28 Baloch youth are still missing and added that the interim premier could not appear before the court as he was on an official visit abroad. Referring to the remaining 28 students, the AGP assured the court that “efforts will be made to recover all the missing persons”. The hearing Maintaining that the fundamental rights of the citizens of Pakistan are being violated, Justice Kayani reminded the AGP that these people are “students and our own people” and remarked that everyone involved in the case is acting according to their whims. Justice Kayani added that the blame for the disappearances is being attributed to the country's intelligence agencies and asked whether the same agencies will also investigate the disappearances. He further asked if an organ of the state is responsible, who will take action against it? The IHC judge added that if any of the missing Baloch youth are involved in anti-state activities, they should be tried under the law. "If we can try Kulbushan, why can't we try them?" The judge observed that an investigation is conducted under Section 365 when a person from Balochistan goes missing and that is the end of it. He maintained that if anyone is involved in terrorism, they should be investigated and presented before the court and no agency has the right to pick people and disappear them for years and release them eventually in the custody of SHO Aabpara. Justice Kayani then asked if such incidents occur in any respectful society and lamented that when those who disappear are recovered, they do not wish to pursue the case. Referring to the sequence of events in such cases, Justice Kayani said an individual is picked by the police and then forcefully disappears and when his family members inquire from the police, they are told the individual was never in their custody. He said that he would not listen to anyone behind closed doors and that whoever wishes to speak, must say it in the open court. The court also held secretary defence responsible if any agencies under his charge were found involved in the practice of forced disappearances. Read more Missing persons panel to hold more delibrations Interim Interior Minister Bugti then stated in court that there was no evidence that any youth was missing and his ministry was fulfilling its responsibility. He added that many are fugitives and some have escaped to Afghanistan while others have died while attacking state security forces. Bugti said the interior ministry had assigned an additional secretary as a focal person on enforced disappearances. The court then ordered the petitioners to provide details of missing persons to the newly appointed focal person. During the hearing, a sister of a missing Baloch person was unable to control her emotions and said, "Asif Baloch and my cousin Rasheed Baloch were arrested in 2018 and Sarfraz Bugti said it was a petty issue". She added that the family had been devastated by their disappearances. Concluding the proceedings, Justice Kayani ordered the recovery of the missing Baloch youth by the next hearing, and warned that in the event of failure, a case will be registered against the interim premier and ministers. "Then you all will have to go back home." He categorically stated that the court expected results and ordered the respondents to meet the families of the missing persons. Bugti assured the court that they would meet with the affected families.

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