ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court said on Wednesday that a four-month time period was not acceptable for carrying out DNA tests, of samples taken from the bodies recovered from a mass grave in Khuzdar and summoned the advocate general Punjab for the next hearing, DawnNews reported.

A two-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim, resumed the hearing of the Balochistan unrest case.

During the proceedings, Justice Muslim inquired from Advocate General Balochistan Nizamudddin about the bodies discovered in Khuzdar upon which he responded that 13 bodies had been recovered out of which two were handed over to relatives after identification.

Nizamuddin informed the court that DNA samples retrieved from remaining 11 bodies had been sent to the Punjab Forensic Sciences Lab. He added that DNA samples had been taken from the relatives of the 14 missing persons.

Upon further inquiry from Justice Muslim regarding the forensic report, the Balochistan AG responded that according to the lab administration the report could take up to four months.

Justice Muslim then asked if an early report was requested from the administration. Upon which, Nizamuddin said that laboratory administration excused itself from handing out the report any earlier.

The apex court judge asked if a meeting was held between Frontier Corps (FC) attorney Irfan Qadir and the chief secretary Balochistan and upon receiving information that the chief secretary was currently in the US, ordered a meeting between him and Qadir.

Subsequently, the apex court while adjourning the Balochistan unrest case for two weeks ordered inclusion of details of the meeting in the report to be presented in the case’s next hearing.

The unearthing of 13 mutilated bodies had sent shockwaves in the country, even forcing the Supreme Court to intervene and summon the provincial government authorities to disclose the factual position about the incident.