ISLAMABAD: The Sup­reme Court ordered Baloch­istan’s police chief on Thursday to submit a report in four weeks about efforts to find a missing man.

The court took up a case suo motu after receiving anonymous complaints that the Shia Hazara community was being subjected to target killings. The bench also made part of the case an application filed by Gul Agha, wife of Dr Ali Raza, seeking the production in court of her husband.

The three-member bench comprised Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed.

The bench summoned the director general of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) on Nov 16 to explain why the apex court’s order about recovery of missing persons and restoration of bank accounts of recovered persons had not been complied with.

In reply to a query by Justice Ijaz about Dr Ali Raza, the Balochistan IG said the police had constituted a joint investigation team (JIT) for his recovery. He said DNA samples had been taken from one body and sent to the Punjab Forensic Lab for identification.

The Levies Force had transferred the case to police three years late, the IG added.

Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed told the police chief, with a tinge of sarcasm, that “you are looking for a missing person (Dr Raza) among the dead. Look for him among the living”.

Justice Qazi Amin said failure to recover the doctor was a blot on police.

Further hearing was adjourned to Nov 16.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2021