SC seeks fresh reports about missing persons by Feb 10

Published January 29, 2014
Policemen escort missing persons following an identification process as they leave the Supreme Court building in Islamabad. – AFP Photo/File
Policemen escort missing persons following an identification process as they leave the Supreme Court building in Islamabad. – AFP Photo/File

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the federal government's report about missing persons and directed the Attorney General of Pakistan and Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to submit fresh reports by February 10.

A three-member SC bench, headed by Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja resumed hearing of the case pertaining to 35 persons, who had gone missing from Malakand.

During the course of proceedings, Advocate General KP Shah Latif said the court had been informed many times that the missing persons were in the custody of armed forces.

He apprised the court that the KP government had constituted a special committee to review the cases of missing persons. It would also examine as to who had handed over the missing persons to whom.

The law would take its course keeping in view the facts, he added.

Justice Khawaja remarked that the provincial government was responsible for the safety of people.

The advocate general said that he had asked the provincial government to implement court orders in letter and spirit and the commission would complete its recommendation within seven days.

Justice Khawaja observed that the court gave great importance to the credibility of the advocate general.

He said after the passage of 18th Constitutional Amendment, the provinces now had independence, but their responsibilities had also been increased.

Expressing annoyance over the non-recovery of Yasin Shah, Justice Khwaja remarked that there was no progress despite the lapse of two years.

The court had shown flexibility towards government and institutions. It was the 26th hearing of the case without any progress, he observed.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing till February 11.

Opinion

Editorial

IHK resolution
Updated 08 Nov, 2024

IHK resolution

If the BJP administration were to listen to Kashmiris, it could pave the way for the resumption of the political process in IHK.
Climate realities
08 Nov, 2024

Climate realities

THE Air Quality Index in Lahore once again shot past the 1,000-level mark on Wednesday morning, registering at an...
Rule by fear
08 Nov, 2024

Rule by fear

THE abduction of an opposition MNA, as claimed by PTI, is yet another grim episode in Pakistan’s ongoing crisis of...
Trump 2.0
Updated 07 Nov, 2024

Trump 2.0

It remains to be seen how his promises to bring ‘peace’ to Middle East reconcile with his blatantly pro-Israel bias.
Fait accompli
07 Nov, 2024

Fait accompli

A SLEW of secretively conceived and hastily enacted legislation has achieved its intended result: the powers of the...
IPP contracts
07 Nov, 2024

IPP contracts

THE government expects the ongoing ‘negotiations’ with power producers aimed at revising the terms of sovereign...