On Thursday, the Supreme Court declared that the “missing persons” report submitted by the Balochistan Police was “unsatisfactory”, directing law enforcement to recover the individuals in a fortnight.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Faisal Arab were on the bench on this occasion.
They oversaw the hearing of the case at SC’s Quetta Registry. The top court had earlier taken suo motu notice of the disappearances.
During the hearing;
SSP Operations Ghulam Asghar told the court that the police weren’t ready to determine whether the five people had gone missing or were abducted.
Missing Persons report
According to the submitted report:
Police had eyewitnesses who identified the cars in which the missing persons were being taken.
The report further stated that investigators had sent a letter to the Excise and Taxation Department to obtain details of the vehicles.
“Issuing a letter is not the job of the police,” the CJP remarked. “It is the police’s job to visit the spot and conduct a thorough investigation.”
He observed, adding that people had chased after the police when these persons had gone missing;
“Every other car in Quetta is a non-custom paid car. Aerial firing is being carried out. All this is being done under the nose of the police,”
He further added:
“You [police] do not know how to investigate cases. A case of disappearance should have been registered by the police which could not be done,”
“In any case, action should be taken on legal matters,” he said.
The hearing of the case was adjourned for four weeks.
With direction for the Balochistan inspector general of Police Mohsin Abbas Butt.
Whereas he is to appear through video link within the next hearing to be held at the Supreme Court in Islamabad.