The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday gave the federal government 21 days for appointing chairman of the judicial commission meant to probe the missing persons' case.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry adjourned hearing of the missing persons' case till September 8 with the observation that the court would take up the cases one by one from the next date of hearing.During the course of hearing, Additional Attorney General K. K. Agha informed the bench that the name to head the commission could not be inalized, as a former judge was approached by the government to head the commission but he declined.
However, KK Agha added that few names were under consideration and the government would finalise the name of the Commission's chairman soon. Amna Masood Janjua, Chairperson, Defence of Human Rights Pakistan, prayed for appointment of recently retired judge of Supreme Court, Justice Javed Iqbal, as new chairman of the commission.
The CJP said that SC had no authority to appoint head of the commission, adding that the government had the authority of such appointment. Ms Janjua said that due to SC vigorous pursuance of the case as many as 400 persons had been recovered so far, adding that they were afraid to divulge the names of kidnappers, adding that they were released by the secret agencies. The court adjourned the hearing till September 8.