ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar finally appeared before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday, following two previous summons he had skipped, regarding the case of missing Baloch students.
Presided over by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, a single-judge bench is overseeing proceedings related to the implementation of recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, alongside a petition seeking the recovery of missing Baloch students.
The IHC had twice summoned the Caretaker Prime Minister, along with the interior secretary and Caretaker Federal Interior Minister Gohar Ijaz, to appear before the court.
During the hearing, Attorney General Mansoor Usman initiated arguments, but the court interrupted to inquire about any additional cases of disappearance since the previous submissions.
The attorney general informed the court that among the original 12 listed individuals, three remained missing, while nine had been located in custody. Furthermore, from a separate list of 26 individuals, at least two were found in Afghanistan.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, addressing the Caretaker PM, underscored the gravity of enforced disappearances, stressing the imperative for institutions to operate within legal frameworks while respecting citizens’ rights.
The Caretaker PM defended the government’s actions within constitutional boundaries, citing the complexities of dealing with armed insurgency in Balochistan. He highlighted incidents such as the assassination of a former Chief Justice of Balochistan during Maghrib Namaz to illustrate the challenges faced.
Acknowledging the ongoing conflict in Balochistan, the court emphasized the importance of upholding equal rights under the law.
The Caretaker PM pledged to address legal and prosecution matters concerning missing persons, advocating against discriminatory profiling based on language and highlighting systemic deficiencies.
Justice Kayani commended government efforts in recovering missing persons, while the Caretaker PM emphasized the need for accountability for those responsible.
Lawyer Iman Mazari clarified that advocating for the families of missing persons did not imply support for terrorism, stressing their allegiance to the state.
