The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a written order and, reasserted its previous directives, compelling caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and relevant ministry secretaries to personally attend an upcoming hearing on Monday (19th Feb) regarding the case of missing Baloch students.
In a written order issued by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani on Sunday, the 4-page document emphasized the imperative presence of the Prime Minister and the secretaries of defense, human rights, and interior ministries at the scheduled hearing on February 19 at 10 am.
During the last hearing on February 13, the court specifically instructed the interim prime minister to appear before the bench. Despite a plea for adjournment due to the unavailability of the attorney general, Justice Kayani rejected the request, asserting that individuals implicated in enforced disappearances should face the death penalty.
“People involved [in enforced disappearances] should be given the death penalty twice,” remarked Justice Kayani, directing the caretaker PM to explain not registering a case against him.
PM Kakar to Appear
While the advocate general sought more time in the case, Justice Kayani declined the request, maintaining the court’s stance. This marks the second summons for PM Kakar by the IHC, with the last summons occurring on November 29, 2023, in response to a case filed by Advocate Imaan Mazari. On that occasion, the prime minister did not appear, citing his absence from the country.
The gravity of the situation can be gauged from the fact that a report by the non-governmental organization Defence of Human Rights (DHR) revealed an alarming increase in enforced disappearances in Pakistan in 2023. According to the report, 51 more cases were reported, bringing the total to 3,120 cases. The DHR disclosed that 595 individuals were released, 246 were traced, and 88 cases resulted in extrajudicial killings.
However, it should be noted that the reported numbers are lower than the actual cases. The Baloch community, for decades, has faced violence and atrocities by the Pak Army. Not only have they been abducted at gunpoint, but they have also been tortured and killed under Pakistan’s ‘establishment’s kill-and-dump policy. Even children and elderly women are shot and killed. These incidents reveal the gruesome regime under which the ethnic community of this resource-rich region resides.