Balochistan security: Interior secretary appears before irked SC

Interior secretary tells SC he could not come to the court before as he was suffering from chest pain.

ISLAMABAD: The interior secretary appeared for the hearing of a case pertaining to missing persons and security situation in Balochistan on Wednesday, after the chief justice had ruled that orders will be issued to the establishment secretary for his transfer or suspension, Express News reported.

The Supreme Court had expressed dissatisfaction that Interior Secretary K M Siddiq Akbar remained absent during the beginning of the hearing despite notices issued to him.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed that the interior secretary had not appeared at the Quetta Registry for the hearing of the same case.

Akbar told the court that he could not come to the court before as he was suffering from chest pain. He added that he was ready to assist the court.

The chief secretary Balochistan presented a progress report before the judicial bench, which failed to appease the court.

The hearing of the case had begun with an exchange of harsh words between the judicial bench and the attorney general.

The judges hearing the case objected to Attorney General Ifran Qadir’s appearance in the court and said that they “had not called him.”

AG Qadir replied that he only appeared on court's directives if the bench thinks he should not appear for the hearings then he “should not be called.”

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed that the attorney general “should see what’s happening in Balochistan.”

“The government is not making this happen,” quipped Qadir to chief justice’s statement. Instantly, Justice Jawad S Khwaja said, “So, you think that the courts are making this happen?”

“Then we all should go to Balochistan and see who is responsible for this,” said that attorney general.

In a previous hearing, a visibly angry chief justice said that Qadir would not be allowed to enter the court without prior permission.