ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed on Thursday expressed anger at Balochistan Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Tahir Rai for the lack of progress in the recovery of missing persons.
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heard a suo motu case about targeted killings of the Hazara people and a petition seeking recovery of missing persons.
During the hearing, the wife of one of the missing persons, Ali Raza, claimed that her husband had been missing since 2013 while police had released the suspect in the case.
To this, CJP Gulzar expressed anger at the IGP and questioned. “What is this? A person has been missing for seven years and police have not done anything?” In response, the IGP informed the court that the case had been with Levies for three years.
Balochistan IGP further said that the missing person would be recovered soon. However, CJP Ahmed expressed his reservations, saying, “Why were you given the uniform? You do not care about anybody.”
Advocate General of Balochistan informed the court that the investigation would be completed if Ali Raza’s family cooperated. Upon this, the chief justice observed that the families would only cooperate if they trusted government officials.
“A business of injustice is being operated. The country has been brought to the brink of disaster. Whichever suspect is brought to the court is acquitted because the investigation is incorrect,” the CJP remarked.
Adjourning the case for a month, the Supreme Court directed officials to recover and present Ali Raza at the next hearing and to ensure protection of Hazara community in Balochistan.
It ordered officials to arrest and present those who were involved in Raza’s kidnapping, warning that irresponsibility by any security agency in recovering the missing person would not be tolerated.
“The Balochistan government should deal constitutionally with extremist elements. The protection of every community in Quetta and Balochistan should be ensured,” the court directed.
