ISLAMABAD: As the Supreme Court heard a case involving missing people and forced disappearances in the nation, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa argued on Tuesday that private militias are unlawful and cannot be against the state.
The case was taken up by the supreme court as a result of petitions submitted by several people, including seasoned attorney and politician Aitzaz Ahsan.
The case’s timing is especially noteworthy because the families of the Baloch missing people—including women and children—are currently staging a sit-in in Islamabad. The family traveled from Turbat to the capital on a protracted march.
The case was taken up by a three-member bench led by Chief Justice Isa and consisting of Justices Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Musrat Hilali.
After the hearing was postponed till tomorrow, the chief justice announced that the court would now see to it that the issue of missing persons was resolved. In addition, he called on Mansoor Usman Awan, Pakistan’s Attorney General, to appear before the bench at the next hearing.
He stated that “if we solve it together, the missing persons problem will be resolved,” and that Pakistan will become stronger on the inside as a result of the issue’s resolution.
In addition, CJP Isa recognized that citizens have the right to peacefully oppose the disappearances of their loved ones.
The CJP stated, “There are also specific cases of missing persons.”
The chief justice also mentioned that individuals in Pakistan frequently vanish after joining specific organizations
He insisted that what is taking place in Pakistan is unique to the globe. All persons involved in this incident, according to CJP Isa, must “accept responsibility”.
The chief judge, however, brought up the topic of enforced disappearances and pointed out that Ahsan’s petitions showed a “political” bent because the people identified in the petitions who “disappeared” were all politicians belonging to the same political party.
Politics is reflected in your application. When speaking to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) attorney Shoaib Shaheen about the party’s argument against the forced disappearances of its members, CJP Isa remarked, “Don’t make it political.” But the chief justice described them as “influential”.
“If there is a problem with the influential, they will come themselves,” said the CJP.
CJP Isa argued that each institution should have its bounds throughout the case hearing. “We thought that the issue of missing persons is important, so we filed a case.”
The petitioner of the missing persons, Khushdil Khan Malik, asked the court to urge the government to pass legislation pertaining to forced disappearances.
He expressed his dissatisfaction that despite Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal forming the panel to investigate the matter, it has not taken any action to guarantee its resolution.
The attorney argued that the government has to answer to the court for not having passed any legislation regarding missing persons over the previous fifty years. The CJP Isa responded, asking how the court could command the Parliament to enact such and
