ISLAMABAD: During the hearing of the Baloch missing students case, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the Islamabad High Court commented that if the caretaker prime minister, interim defense minister, defense secretary, caretaker interior minister, and interior secretary cannot fulfill their duties, they should step down from their positions.
Presiding over the case, Justice Kiani adjourned the hearing until the next week and once again summoned interim PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar in a personal capacity on February 28. Last week, Kakar was summoned with a directive to explain why a case should not be registered against him.
In a previous hearing on Nov 29, Justice Kayani had warned that a case could be registered against the caretaker prime minister and others if they fail to reunite the missing Baloch students with their families.
During Monday’s hearing, petitioner Imaan Mazari, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Awan, and Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Dogal appeared in court. AGP Awan informed the court that, according to his information, eight students out of the remaining 12 missing Baloch students had not yet recovered.
Justice Kiani expressed concern that it was the second time the interim PM did not appear in court, marking the 24th hearing of the case. The court noted that it had taken two years to recover the missing citizens, and no criminal case had been registered. Additionally, no documents or information were shared with the court about those who went missing over the last two years.
The judge emphasized that allegations against institutions have been made, and he mentioned an incident involving PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat’s house being raided. The court summoned the Islamabad IGP and the CTD head to the next hearing and advised the AGP to inform the interim PM about the importance of attending court sessions. The hearing was adjourned until Feb 28.
