Govt doing nothing on Balochistan: SC
11 October, 2012
QUETTA: The Supreme Court on Wednesday, during a hearing on the law and order situation in Balochistan, said the government had done nothing for its improvement.
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, is hearing the case. Barrister Raja Salman told the court that the elements responsible for the bad law and order in the province had been named but no action was taken against them.
Assisting lawyer of the court Qahir Shah informed it that Khuzdar District had been closed for a full month due to deteriorating law and order situation. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed this was tantamount to rejection of implementation of constitution and asked Balochistan Inspector General of Police Tariq Umar Khatab if it was not so.
Justice Khawaja noted that the Supreme Court had held 70 hearings on the Balochistan situation and had issued order for the implementation of law and the constitution in the province, but despite assurances from the government in this regard nothing had been done. "Should the Supreme Court do nothing then?" he questioned.
When deputy attorney general asked for more time in the case, the chief justice expressed deep anger and said, "Balochistan is not your priority. Allegations are levelled against the government and the FC but the government is doing nothing." He added, "We are responsible for the destruction of Balochistan ourselves." Barrister Salman continued his arguments regarding the law and order in the province on the third consecutive day and cited several examples of social injustices which gave rise to frustration in society, upon which CJP said that judiciary had already highlighted these aspects.
Referring to the situation in the province, Barrister Salman said that he was informed by the local people that a local armed group, which they believe was backed by the secret agencies, was behind the deteriorating situation in Khuzdar. He called for making the secret agencies follow the constitution and noted. He also suggested formulation of a commission on the issue, but the CJP said that commissions had been formed in the past but they did not do anything.
Raja Salman said the Supreme Court should give a direction under which if the secret agencies and the government resort to excess, a mechanism should be in place for their accountability. On Balochistan Advocate General Amanullah Kanrani's remark that the law and order situation in the province was comparatively better than that in other provinces, the CJP asked why then the United Nations working group came to Pakistan for the missing persons. Kanrani said responded that the UN group had not come solely for Balochistan and asserted that the provincial government was ready to implement the judiciary's orders.
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