Interim order issued: Balochistan government has lost its capability: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Pakistan, in its interim order Friday asked federal government to take effective measures to protect the lives and property of the people in the Balochistan as provincial government lacked capacity.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary, Justice Jawad. S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif was hearing the Balochistan law and order case filed by the Balochistan Bar Association here at the Quetta Registry of the Supreme Court.
In its interim order, the Supreme Court stated that not only an ordinary man, but the personnel of Frontier Corps, police and Coast Guard were being killed in Balochistan and government has failed to halt these incidents effectively. The order further said, bodies are found, kidnapping for ransom, targeted killings is continued, but the culprits are yet to be arrested. The provincial government has lost its capability to halt such incidents.
"Federal government assisted the provincial government by deploying the paramilitary troops to maintain peace in the region," it said. "Frontier Corps is held responsible for missing persons, although as many as 432 personnel of the force laid down their lives besides over 600 others who were wounded." The court further stated that "fingers were continually being pointed at the FC in missing persons' cases.
The apex court bench in its interim order issued directives to pass all the cases pertaining to target killing, missing persons and dead bodies to the CID. It also ordered the provincial government to compensate the heirs of the missing persons and create a welfare scheme for the victim families. The SC ruled that the provincial government has failed to maintain peace in the regions so now it is the ultimate responsibility of the federation to take effective measure in this connection.
The court asked the government to restore civil administration, resume educational activities in Dera Bugti, construct hospitals and take steps for the rehabilitation of the IDPs of the district. Earlier, during the hearing of the case, the Chief Justice said that provincial government appeared to have no writ in Balochistan, adding that ethnic and sectarian based killings were taking place in parts of the province, FIR is lodged but no culprit is held.
The apex court expressing concern on the issuance of "Rahdaris" for non-custom paid vehicles and arms asked the provincial government to take action against such vehicles. CJP also directed reviewing the allegation of alleged embezzlement levelled against the provincial government and called for a check on the wrong use of the resources.
Meanwhile, the Advocate General Balochistan Amanullah Kanrani told the court that law and order compared to the period between 2006-2008, has improved in 2010-2012 span of time with the concerted strategy adopted by the government. "Though situation in some of the districts was not fully under control, yet steps were afoot to ensure protection to the life and property of the people.
When asked by the Chief Justice about the law and order situation in the Khuzdar district, the IG Police Umer Khitab told the court that some 26 people died in last 40 days in Khuzdar. To which the CJP remarked that unless police established its writ, peace can not be secured in areas where it was deployed.
On the proposals given by the lawyer, M Zafar about the Balochistan situation, the bench observed that until peace is not restored, province could not be developed. The court has directed the Chief Secretary Balochistan to dispatch the copies of the interim order to the concerned officials directing him to submit fortnightly report about the implementation of the court order to it.
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