Balochistan unrest: CJ lashes out at Gilani, home minister
Chief justice says 'other options' available if Gilani does not want implementation of court orders.
QUETTA:
While in dialogue with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s principal secretary Khushnood Lashari, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry remarked that if the prime minister does not want implementation of the Supreme Court’s orders, other options including ‘emergency’ were available in the constitution, Express News reported.
Further irked by the absence of the Balochistan Home Minister Mir Zafarullah Zehri, Justice Chaudhry ordered the interior secretary to register a case against him, adding that if Zehri did not want to appear before the court then he should be arrested and brought before the apex court.
The chief justice made these remarks during the hearing pertaining to the deteriorating law and order situation and missing persons cases in Balochistan.
Defence Secretary Narjis Sethi, the premier’s principal secretary Khushnood Lashari, DIG Balochistan, IG Police, Chief Secretary Balochistan and the interior secretary appeared before the court.
The apex court expressed resentment as those involved continued to defy the court’s orders.
Gilani on Wednesday directed his principal secretary and the cabinet secretary to appear before the apex court in Quetta. He gave the directive while chairing the meeting of Cabinet. A PM house statement said, “It clearly manifests how much the government holds the Supreme Court in high esteem.”
Earlier, unable to satisfy the judges during the hearing of cases pertaining to missing persons in Balochistan, Deputy Attorney General (AG) Malik Sikander walked out of court and later submitted his resignation.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly mentioned Balochistan's Home Minister as Mir Nasirullah Zehri. The error has been rectified.
While in dialogue with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s principal secretary Khushnood Lashari, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry remarked that if the prime minister does not want implementation of the Supreme Court’s orders, other options including ‘emergency’ were available in the constitution, Express News reported.
Further irked by the absence of the Balochistan Home Minister Mir Zafarullah Zehri, Justice Chaudhry ordered the interior secretary to register a case against him, adding that if Zehri did not want to appear before the court then he should be arrested and brought before the apex court.
The chief justice made these remarks during the hearing pertaining to the deteriorating law and order situation and missing persons cases in Balochistan.
Defence Secretary Narjis Sethi, the premier’s principal secretary Khushnood Lashari, DIG Balochistan, IG Police, Chief Secretary Balochistan and the interior secretary appeared before the court.
The apex court expressed resentment as those involved continued to defy the court’s orders.
Gilani on Wednesday directed his principal secretary and the cabinet secretary to appear before the apex court in Quetta. He gave the directive while chairing the meeting of Cabinet. A PM house statement said, “It clearly manifests how much the government holds the Supreme Court in high esteem.”
Earlier, unable to satisfy the judges during the hearing of cases pertaining to missing persons in Balochistan, Deputy Attorney General (AG) Malik Sikander walked out of court and later submitted his resignation.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly mentioned Balochistan's Home Minister as Mir Nasirullah Zehri. The error has been rectified.