Tough but has to be done
The way the administration responded to the summons of the Supreme Court bench hearing the missing persons’ cases in Quetta is symptomatic of the malaise characterising governance in this country. Clutching at the SC as the last straw, old and helpless men and women whose children had gone missing had waited for the apex court to undo the gross injustice. Earlier, police had recovered three missing persons but remained tight lipped regarding the identity of those who had handed them over to it. Enough evidence was available to show that the security agencies were behind the disappearances. This led the Court to summon the DG FC and the sector chief of ISI. The first excused himself for being busy in meetings, the second was reported to be out of the capital. The Court subsequently summoned the Chief Minister and Home Minister, neither of whom turned up. Those appearing in compliance with the summons were only civil bureaucrats including the Chief Secretary and the IG. The provincial authorities however failed to meet the deadline to produce the 12 missing persons demanded by the court. Bodies of two persons dumped in Lasbela were reported to have been found while their relatives were waiting for their recovery at the SC hearing.
It is the constitutional duty of every government to provide protection to life and property to its citizens. In the case of Balochistan, however, neither the federal nor provincial government has tried to fulfil the responsibility. It is ironical that while the apex court was in Quetta hearing the cases of the missing persons, the CM along with cabinet member was in Islamabad to show solidarity with the PM. The disregard for the court’s orders by the security agencies was another disturbing matter. As things stand the government’s policy seems to be not to interfere in their activities irrespective of their tragic consequences.
The way the issue of the missing persons continues to linger on in the presence of an independent judiciary has saddened many. The SC has reiterated its resolve “to go to any extent” for their recovery. Brave words, but those affected want concrete results. Unless the agencies are made to act strictly in accordance with law, things will remain unchanged. One will wait to see how the court bells the cat.