Balochistan crisis: IG FC gives SC written assurance to improve situation

Chief Justice says if all resources are utilised in earnest, then the situation can improve. Case adjourned to Sept 3.

ISLAMABAD: The Inspector General of Frontier Constabulary (FC) Major General Obaidullah Khattak provided a signed written assurance for taking step towards improving the law and order situation in Balochistan to the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Advocate General Balochistan Amanullah Kinrani produced before a three-judge bench of the apex court a joint statement which bore the signatures of the newly appointed secretary defence Lt General (Retd) Asif Yasin Malik.

Kinrani had earlier submitted the report in the court without the IG FC’s signature. The court, sensing IG FC Obaidullah Khattak’s reluctance, had returned the report and asked the advocate general to get it signed by the IG FC.

Chief Justice Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry hearing the case said “you are the main person who can deliver.”

Khattak said that it was a matter of national interest but said that the interior secretary had barred him from signing the joint statement. But the Chief Justice Chaudhry was adamant and said “but we order you to sign it.”

The uniformed general of the Pakistan army, obliging the order, signed the statement and handed over it to the bench.

Kinrani informed the court that a committee headed by Defence Minister has been constituted and they have come to the court after attending its meeting. He said another meeting of the committee would be held on Wednesday, while its third meeting would be held in Quetta on Thursday. He said it was the first step towards improving the law and order situation in Balochistan and he was optimistic that the situation would improve.

The court inquired from the IG FC when would the eight missing persons be recovered. The officer replied that they were making all efforts to recover the men. He said that it was not right to doubt his honesty since it was their desire too to recover the missing men. The chief justice addressing him said that if sincere efforts are made by the IG FC, then law and order situation can improve within seven days.

The chief justice went on to add that if all resources are utilised, the situation in Balochistan can improve, especially Dera Bugti. The apex court chief was of the view that both the agencies were playing a frontline role in defending the country and should adhere to the law of the land, while pointing towards a news item which reported a case has been registered against the MI and ISI DGs in a missing persons case in Lahore.

The court ordered the federal and provincial governments to deal with the persons involved in the target killing and kidnapping in Balochistan province and recover the missing persons. Chief Justice Chaudhry said there would be no compromise on the fundamental rights. He said that law and order situation worsening day by day in Balochistan.

The chief justice said that people are being picked up for ransom, but the law enforcement agencies are not taking actions against those involved in it. He noted that the possibility of ulterior political or other motives behind this failure could not be ruled out either.

The chief justice said that now they have now come to a conclusion that the federal and the provincial governments are also responsible for the worsening law and order situation in Balochistan.

The court adjourned the hearing till September 3 but not before directing the the federal and provincial governments to take solid and effective measures to improve the law and order situation in Balochistan. The court also directed the concerned officials to submit a weekly report to the Supreme Court