ISLAMABAD: Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) emphasized that enforced disappearances persist due to a lack of belief in the rule of law within state institutions. He urged for the prosecution of intelligence agencies’ officials, highlighting the need for accountability.
During a hearing of a petition filed by lawyer Imaan Mazari seeking the recovery of missing Baloch students, Justice Kayani expressed the possibility of holding intelligence officers accountable by having the police include them as accused in supplementary statements of FIRs.
Justice Kayani called upon the prime minister, along with the secretaries of interior and defense, to provide assurances via affidavit that enforced disappearances would be prevented in the future.
He emphasized the significance of police as the visible representation of the state, highlighting the disparity with other institutions.
Justice Kayani questioned why trials of Baloch extremists couldn’t be conducted in anti-terrorism courts, similar to those held for terrorists.
Additionally, he urged the federal government to reinstate anti-terrorism courts in Balochistan for trials related to the accused. He clarified that those seeking the recovery of missing Baloch students were not protecting terrorists but advocating for justice.
The judge noted the unique prevalence of the concept of missing persons in Pakistan compared to other countries.
Expressing concerns, he questioned the well-being of recovered individuals, citing that no previously missing Baloch person had appeared before him post-recovery.
Furthermore, he inquired about the ongoing protest sit-in staged by Baloch protesters against enforced disappearances, showing concern that despite court directives, they were still facing harassment. The IHC adjourned the hearing of the case until February 13.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
