Pak SC seeks report on Balochistan law & order problem

Quetta, Sept 6: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday asked the defence secretary, the inspector-general of police and inspector-general of Frontier Corps (FC) to submit a joint statement on the law and order situation and human rights violations in

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reported. The apex court gave the order here during the hearing of a petition on the case.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Jawwad S Khawaja was hearing the petition filed by the Balochistan Bar Association, the report said.

The bench directed Defence Secretary Lt-Gen (retd) Asif Yasin Malik, Inspector General Police of Balochistan Tariq Omar Khitab, Balochistan Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad and Inspector General of Frontier Corps (FC) Obaidullah Khattak to submit a report by 12.30 pm on Thursday following which, the court would issue further orders.

Chief Justice Iftikhar told the chief secretary that was a shortage of efficient officers in Balochistan and sought an explanation on why incompetent officers had not been removed. He said that despite the court's hearing over the past four days, there was no progress on the issue and that nobody was ready to take responsibility in the province.

The Chief Justice cited the example of the teenager son of a businessman, who was abducted for ransom from Pishin district of the province 16 days ago but could not be traced despite the presence of state forces.

Justice Hussain said that Balochistan was the soul of Pakistan and needed to be stabilised at the earliest. IG Khattak said that his personnel were working round the clock to ensure peace in the province.

The counsel for FC, Raja Irshad, said that some foreign forces were active in Balochistan and the chief justice asked if any foreign agents were found. He said action should be taken against such agents.

Women from the Hazara community who were present at the hearing told the court that 750 people had been butchered in the province since 1999.

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