LB must for resolving issues, says CJ

QUETTA: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that the problems Balochi people facing could have been resolved, had there been local governments in place.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday resumed hearing of the Balochistan law and order case at its Quetta Registry.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, was hearing the petition filed by the Balochistan Bar Association on the law and order situation in the province.

During proceedings, the CJ asked the former deputy commissioner Khuzdar if the Frontier Corps (FC) informed the civil administration about its actions in 2011. On this, the former DC replied that they were not informed by the FC.

The CJ remarked that nobody knows about activities carried out by the FC in province including commissioner, deputy commissioner and Levies. He said that the court convenes and issues directives but none of those orders are implemented.

Chief Justice asked the FC lawyer Raja Irshad to either produce all the missing persons or summon all the commandants. On this, the FC lawyer pleaded for time till Thursday.

Chief Justice remarked that issues could have been resolved, had there been local government in place.

The CJ then directed Balochistan’s home secretary to produce details of the bodies being recovered in the province.

In Tuesday’s hearing, the SC had summoned the Inspector General Frontier Corps (IG FC) and Commandant Frontier Corps.

FC lawyer Raja Irshad had informed the court that there was not a single person in the custody of the FC, to which the Chief Justice replied that there was evidence contrary to this.