Balochistan missing persons: police given three days to trace three men

While resuming the hearing of identical petitions filed for the protection of life and property of people in Balochistan on Friday, the Supreme Court directed the province's Inspector-General Police to recover the remaining three missing persons within three days.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, has been hearing the petitions filed by the President of the Balochistan High Court Bar Association and others. The Federation of Pakistan and others have been named as respondents. At the outset of the hearing, top legal officer of Balochistan Amanullah Kunrani apprised the bench that no witness or evidence had been presented despite the issuance of warrants for the arrest of Pervez Musharraf for his involvement in the murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti.
Kunrani added that the interior minister and civilian officials of the Musharraf regime had said they were unaware of any operation against Nawab Bugti. The IGP Balochistan told the bench that another missing person, identified as Mizaar Khan, had been recovered the previous night. He said that the man had been in police custody in Quetta, assuring the court that rest of the missing persons will also be produced before the court by next date of hearing.
During the hearing, the chief justice observed that poor performance of law-enforcement agencies was the main cause of their failure in recovering the missing persons. He wondered why action had not been taken on the statement of a Balochistan minister who had pointed out about the involvement of some ministers in abduction for ransom.
The bench also inquired about the arrest of people involved in the April 12 sectarian violence in Balochistan. The court asked the authorities concerned to produce the other three persons who had been recovered before the court and directed the province's chief secretary to ensure installation of CCTV cameras at prominent locations in Quetta. The bench adjourned the hearing till April 16.