The Islamabad High Court has issued its written order of the previous hearing in the case of implementation of the recommendations of the commission on forced disappearance of Baloch students.
According to the verdict, caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar has been summoned on November 29 at 11am, while defence, human rights, and interior ministers have also been asked to appear.
The interior and defence secretaries have also been summoned on the same date. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani issued a five-page order of the previous hearing.
The order stated that 69 Baloch students of various universities were subjected to ethnic profiling, harassment, and enforced disappearance. As per records, some missing students reached back home, but at least 50 are still missing.
Former IHC chief justice Athar Minallah had formed a commission to redress the concerns of Baloch students.
The additional attorney general admitted that Baloch students who were forcibly disappeared by state institutions were still missing, the court said.
The prime minister and interior minister were both from Balochistan, but did not take any positive action on this issue. Not getting positive results despite 21 hearings on the issue was an insult to the Constitution of Pakistan, the court stated.
Justice Kayani said courts were the last ray of hope for the oppressed, adding that the lax behaviour of state officials has shaken public confidence in the higher courts.
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The court order further said that it was disturbing that state institutions were accused of forced disappearance of Baloch students, yet they were helpless about recovering them.
It said the court had come to the conclusion that the federal government was not dealing with this issue seriously. The government of Pakistan, which was responsible for protecting the rights of citizens, was not able to stop these human rights violations, the court said.
The court has no option but to summon the prime minister, defence minister and interior minister, the court stated. The PM, ministers and secretaries should appear in court and explain why they were not giving any importance to the issue.
According to the commission report, students of universities and colleges were picked up by law enforcement agencies. It was hoped that the PM, ministers and secretaries will appear in court with concrete results, Justice Kayani remarked.
He further said that it was hoped the court will be told that the missing students had returned to their homes. If any student was involved in anti-state activities, he should be produced in the court concerned, the order stated.
In the event of failure to appear, it will be considered that the persons summoned were acting against the state’s interests. These individuals will be considered to be part of the system where human rights were being violated, the court said.
These people will be considered silent spectators to the violations of human rights being committed in their presence, the court said.
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