QUETTA, Aug 27: The Supreme Court gave security forces and intelligence agencies on Tuesday two weeks for recovery of missing persons.

“Police, Frontier Corps and intelligence agencies should recover the missing persons in two weeks and produce them before the court,” said an order issued by a three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The bench is hearing the Balochistan law and order case at the Quetta registry of Supreme Court. The chief justice expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of security agencies and regretted that despite several assurances given by them, no progress had been made in the recovery of missing persons for three years.

Additional Attorney General Shah Khawar informed the court that efforts were being made and the missing people would be recovered soon. He said a high-level meeting held in Quetta on Monday had discussed a number of important issues, including missing persons.

The chief justice asked him to submit a report on the meeting.

Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja, a member of the bench, said it was a matter of concern that the court reopened the case from the same point where it had been left three months ago.

The chief justice said if anyone was suspected of wrongdoing, he should be tried in accordance with the law. “Illegal detention of a person is violation of human rights as well as the law,” he said, adding that there were evidences against the FC, police and intelligence agencies in 70 cases of missing persons.

“Increased recovery of bodies from different areas of the country is a very serious issue and this situation is very dangerous,” he said, adding that allegations regarding security agencies’ involvement in disappearances and dumping of the bodies were tarnishing the image of the forces.

The court was not satisfied with a report on the law and order situation in Balochistan submitted by Deputy Attorney General Tariq Ali Tahir and said more steps should be taken to restore peace and order in the province.

“The law and order situation is worsening because of non-implementation of the law,” the chief justice said, adding that it appeared that there was no writ of the government.

When Mr Tahir informed the court about the recovery of a large quantity of explosives and arms and ammunition in Eastern Bypass and Satellite Town areas of Quetta, the chief justice asked which routes had been used to smuggle these into the country.

Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said the presence of a large number of Afghan refugees was causing a law and order problem in Balochistan. “These refugees become part of the ongoing terrorist and other criminal activities. Hospitality is all right, but Afghan refuges should be confined to their camps,” he said.

The chief justice ordered that data of Afghan refugees be collected so that they could be shifted to their camps.

The additional attorney general said the government was collecting the data and a survey was also in progress. The National Database and Registration Authority has also been approached for assistance. But he said many Afghans had returned to Pakistan after repatriation.

“Afghan refugees have no right to do business in Quetta since nobody is above the law,” the chief justice remarked.

Balochistan IG Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera informed the court that police officers transferred to the province were not ready to join their duty here.

This prompted the chief justice to tell the IG to send their names to the court.

The court adjourned the case for two weeks.