PM summoned in missing persons case

69 Baloch students were subjected to racial profiling, rules court

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has summoned the prime minister, interior, defence, and human rights ministers in the Baloch missing students’ case on Wednesday.

On Saturday, the court released its written order, reviewing the implementation of recommendations proposed by a commission on the missing Baloch students.

The IHC has also summoned interior and defence secretaries at 11am on November 29. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani released the court’s written order.

According to the court order, 69 Baloch students were subjected to racial profiling, harassed and forced disappearance.

According to the record some disappeared students later returned home while 50 of them were still missing. “Former IHC chief justice Athar Minallah had constituted the commission. The additional attorney general confessed that still some students were missing,” according to the order.

Prime minister and interior minister, both hailing from Balochistan, failed to take any positive step. Even after 21 hearings, absence of positive results is an insult to the constitution of Pakistan, the order read.

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The courts remain the last ray of hope for the oppressed. The lethargic attitude of officials has jolted the people’s confidence in the superior judiciary, it further stated. It is a matter of concern that the students are still missing, the bench remarked.

The honourable judges observed that the court has reached the conclusion that the federal government is tackling the matter non-seriously. “The government of Pakistan is responsible for the rights of citizens, but it could not prevent violations of human rights,” the bench observed.

“There is no way out except to summon the prime minister and ministers of interior and defence to inform the court, why the matter is not being given due importance.”

Hopefully the prime minister, ministers and secretaries will appear in court with substantial results and inform it that missing students have reached their homes, Justice Kayani said.

“If any student has been involved in anti-state activities, he should be produced in concerned court, in case of failure, it will be deemed that the above-mentioned persons are working against the interests of the state."

It will also be deemed that these persons have been part of that system, which commits human rights violations, and they will be considered silent spectators over human rights violations being committed in their presence, according to the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2023.

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