ISLAMABAD: Expressing its concern over the worsening law and order situation in Balochistan, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said on Wednesday that a jirga should be held for resolving the province’s issues.
He also asked the authorities concerned to consult Sardar Attuallah Mengal, Mir Khiar Bakhsh Marri and other tribal leaders for holding the jirga.A three-member Supreme Court (SC) bench was hearing petitions against target killings, kidnappings for ransom and the killing of Baloch MPA Mir Bakhtiar Domki’s wife and his daughter in Karachi.The chief justice observed that the Balochistan issue was very serious, asking, “Why is the federal government not improving the situation in the province?” He also said the Balochistan chief minister should take special interest for the resolution of the province’s problems.
The court said it would hear the case of target killings in Quetta from the next hearing. It also summoned the Balochistan chief secretary, inspector general of police, attorney general of Pakistan (AGP) and Balochistan advocate general on March 20.AGP Maulvi Anwarul Haq also submitted three classified reports on behalf of the ISI, MI and GHQ about the security situation in Balochistan. The court accepted intelligence agencies’ request for not making their reports public.
The AGP said that military authorities had requested the court to allow them an in-camera briefing in the case like that of the unrest in Karachi. Justice Khilji Arif Hussain said the situation in Balochistan reminded of the 1971 situation in the country. He said that the 180 million people in the country should also play their role to resolve the Balochistan issue.
Earlier, former Balochistan High Court chief justice Amirul Mulk Mengal briefed the court on the Balochistan issue as amicus curiae. He said the government’s writ was very weak in the province and a high-level forum should be formed to resolve the issue. He said several schools had shut down in the province due to the prevailing circumstances.The court directed the Sindh police to submit a report on the killing of Domki’s wife and daughter on March 20. – Dailytimes
