Deteriorating law and order: SC rejects report on Balochistan security as a ‘lie’

Iftikhar Chaudhry probes deep into Balochistan massacre.

QUETTA:

While the Supreme Court resumed hearing of the case on Balochistan’s security situation in the troubled province’s capital, the proceedings continued in the same fashion – the court rejected reports and demanded names, while officials scrambled to give answers.

Heading a three-member bench, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry said on Tuesday that the incessant recovery of mutilated bodies, increasing incidents of kidnappings and targeted killings affirm the notion that law-enforcement agencies are either helpless or too weak to take action against those responsible.

“Ironically, you know that 206 bodies were found dumped in different parts of Balochistan and yet we have failed to find the causes and the people behind these killings,” Chief Justice Chaudhary remarked when Balochistan Home Secretary Nasebullah Bazai presented details of incidents, including recovery of bodies, targeted killings and sectarian violence.

The figure provided by the home department, however, was not the same as the report submitted by the Intelligence Bureau (IB). According to IB’s report, 52 bodies were found dumped in the province this year, while the home department stated that around 44 bodies were discovered during the past three months.

“You should interview families of the victims and dig deeper into who is responsible for this massacre,” the chief justice remarked.

During the hearing, the Balochistan advocate general submitted a report on the steps taken to improve the law and order situation and measures taken to protect people in the province.

However, the chief justice expressed dissatisfaction over the report, saying that if the report states the law and order situation is improving – it is a lie.

“Do we look like fools?” he asked, adding: “I do not see the writ of the government in Balochistan.”

Justice Chaudhry further observed that the people of the province, not just the settlers, are forced to migrate. “The people are then forced off their buses, lined up and ruthlessly shot.”

He also reprimanded Balochistan’s police chief, saying: “It is beyond my understanding how you can sleep given the situation of province.”

“The home minister told the media that provincial ministers are involved in kidnappings. Then why wasn’t any action taken against such ministers and why have they not been arrested?” the chief justice asked the IG and the home secretary.

He further asked Advocate General Amanullah Kanrani about the number of missing persons in the province district-wise, and whether any case had been taken up.

“The government managed to recover 47 missing persons from different areas of Balochistan, while 17 were found dead,” the home secretary informed the court. He added that 41 families could not provide basic information about their missing relatives, which is why their cases were withdrawn.

Asked who picked up the 47 recovered missing persons, the home secretary appeared nervous and was unable to provide an answer. “Why you do not disclose who whisked these people away. Were they angels or aliens?” the chief justice asked.

The home secretary said that some recovered missing persons were under interrogation by different government functionaries and were recovered by the provincial government.

Balochistan Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad told the court that the government had taken up the issue of recovery of bullet-riddled bodies and the issue of missing persons with security agencies.

The court also asked the government, police and Balochistan Levies to arrest the culprits involved in the killing of Hazara people on Spinny Road; the killing of two workers of an NGO in Mastung; kidnapping of six BRSP officials and a murder of a woman in Dera Murad Jamali. The court sought a “positive response” by them on the next date of hearing.

The chief justice further said he would give a thorough judgment on the law and order situation of Balochistan, but before that he expected the government to nominate a responsible person who would ensure the implementation of the court’s verdict.

Justice Tariq Pervez while expressing concern over the deteriorating situation of Balochistan has said that Baloch leaders do not show up at high-level meetings about the province, and added that “we have come here to hear the problems of the Baloch and Pashtuns.”

The chief justice said there is no governance in the province and top officials needed to improve their performance. “The home secretary is not supposed to tell us that incidents are declining because we expect zero recovery of bodies and end to targeted killings and kidnappings,” he said

Karachi killings

Meanwhile, the chief justice took note of recent killings that took place in the Lyari neighbourhood of Karachi and said it appears that the recent verdict of the court is not being implemented in letter and spirit.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2012.