A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heard the Balochistan law and order case on Thursday and accepted applications submitted by former chief minister Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Nawab Talal Bugti making them a party to the case.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court had rejected a joint statement submitted by the high functionaries of provincial government. During Thursday’s hearing, Sajid Tareen, the counsel for former chief minister Mengal, told the court that his client was undergoing medical treatment abroad, and would return to Pakistan by September 26 to assist the court on the issue.
The chief justice said that Mengal could help the apex court with regard to the issue of enforced disappearances or ‘missing persons’. On the counsel’s request, the chief justice ordered the interior secretary and inspector general Islamabad to ensure formidable security arrangements for Mengal’s return, as he will not bring his personnel security guard to Islamabad.
Registrar Supreme Court was directed to monitor all security related arrangements in this regard. The court also appointed Vice Chairman Supreme Court Bar Association Akhtar Hussain, Advocate Munir A Malik, M Zafar and President Supreme Court Bar Association Yasin Azad as amicus curie (friends of court) in the case. They were asked by the court to get all relevant documents about the case for preparation to assist the court.
The hearing was adjourned till September 27. The court will hear the case from October 8 in Quetta.
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