The Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday that three missing persons had returned home from the custody of their unknown abductors. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in its order said the court was of the view that without proper identification by police and the levies or any other such source, it was not possible for any agency to pick up a person.
The court expressed a profound sense of dismay over the lacklustre performance of both provincial and federal governments to ensure law and order in restive Balochistan province where kidnappings have become order of the day. Justice Chaudhry remarked that the court would not rest until rule of law was firmly established in the province. "We may reiterate here that it is the duty of the provincial as well as federal governments to maintain law and order and to provide security to the life and property of the citizen," the court order stated.
He also directed the authorities concerned to produce the recently recovered three missing persons before Quetta registry on April 30. The Inspector General Police Balochistan was also issued directives to inform the court about the agency which had arrested and detained them. The court also expressed concern over the silence of the prime minister, the chief minister and the governor Balochistan, saying no one had replied to the court despite the fact that they were asked to take appropriate steps to control the situation in the province.
The missing persons were recovered following the directives of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. They went missing from Killi Ismail area of Quetta since April 3. Justice Chaudhry also inquired why there were so many targeted killings in Balochistan. On April 6, it was brought to the notice of the bench of the apex court functioning at Quetta by Rukhsana Baloch that her brother Dr Naseer Ahmed and his friends namely Akhtar Lango and Abdul Hafeez Rodiani were missing since April 3.
Accordingly, the IGP/PPO Balochistan were directed to recover those three persons. The IGP promised that he would produce the missing persons in court on April 10, but he failed. However, stringent directions were issued by the court to the IGP as well as the acting SP Operations, Quetta for the recovery and production of those persons.
Amanullah Kanarani, Advocate General Balochistan, appeared along with Muhammad Tariq, acting SP Operations, Quetta City and stated that in compliance of court directives, all the three persons had been recovered as they, on their own, had reached their houses. According to him, they gave their statements under Section 161 CrPC, recorded by SHO, Police Station Jinnah Town, Quetta.