The Supreme Court ordered on Sunday the establishment of a special cell to investigate the cases of missing persons. Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had earlier taken suo motu notice of the missing persons and ordered the authorities concerned to locate them, immediately. Over 50 missing persons' families were present at the SC's Karachi Registry on Sunday, where they submitted petitions seeking to know their loved ones' whereabouts.
"My institutions are not behind missing persons, I am certain" the chief justice said. I am saddened over the missing persons' issue," the CJP told Sindh IGP Amjad Javed and provincial heads of intelligence agencies who appeared in the top court's Karachi Registry for the hearing of the case. "Not even youth but men as old as 57 years are missing," the CJ deplored.
The chief justice ordered the concerned authorities to take action on the basis of the petitions. During the hearing, the petitioners became rowdy and slammed their hands on the podium. Some reportedly misbehaved with the court's security officials. Justice Nisar got up from his seat and left the courtroom. When he came back he told the petitioners that they had violated the sanctity of the court.
"You didn't listen to me and just kept creating a ruckus," he said, asking how they dared to slam their fists on his dais. "I did not expect such coarse behavior from daughters of the nation," he said, criticizing them for raising their hands against police personnel. He said the only reason he was letting them go and not sending them to jail was because they were women.
He ended the hearing by directing that a special cell be set up to investigate the cases of the missing persons. Tight security arrangements were made around the court. The road in front of the SC was blocked off to traffic, and the family members of missing persons, who were carrying placards and photos of their loved ones, were held back by a security cordon.
Talking to media outside the court, tearful family members appealed to the CJP to help ensure the recovery of their missing children, fathers and brothers. Human Rights activist and election candidate Jibran Nasir while talking to media at the scene, said it appeared as though the country was someone's kingdom. "People are being prevented from reaching the Supreme Court. You can't even say anything to institutions because then your patriotism is questioned."
He also twitted as " Commotion outside Supreme Court Karachi Registry as only one family member from each family of missing person is being allowed in. The young cannot leave the old outside in the sun and the old need supports of their young ones inside. Hon CJP there has to be a better way."
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