Give people their rights, if not security, CJ to govt

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that the government should at least give fundamental rights to the people if it could not arrange security measures for them.

“The Afghan people are running their business in an open way which is diametrically opposite to the law. There should be check on them for maintenance of law and order,” the CJP said while heading a three-member bench hearing Balochistan law and order case.

The Quetta CCPO told the court that about 19 cases of abduction for ransom had been reported this year. “Approximately 90 percent of the groups involved in such activities have been rooted out and with the passage of time, security forces would exterminate all others as well.

Senior counsel Ayyaz Zahoor told the court that his client, doctor Manaf, was abducted from a bus stop in Pishin, but nobody tried to express any resistance in this regard.

The chief justice also asked about the recovery of Dr Manaf, who was abducted the previous night. Police said the main areas of the city had been cordoned off and SP Bashir had deployed heavy contingents in order to trace the culprits involved in the abduction.

Highlighting the poor management of forces, the chief justice said vehicles without number plates were being run across the city and arms dealers were free to roam with their weapons. “There is no check on them.”

The chief justice also ordered the police to prepare a list with details of smuggled arms and ammunition.

Balochistan interior secretary told the court that they had launched a special system of check and balance for betterment in law and order in the city.

Upon this, the chief justice said, “Visit different areas of the city, including Liaqat Bazar and SattelliteTown and see what is going on there in the name of so-called rules and regulations. Corruption and nepotism have become the hallmark of the day. No officer of police, FC and Customs is beyond corruption.”

He directed the interior secretary to communicate with tribal chieftains for eradication of crimes from the province.

Furthering his remarks, he said government officials were committing criminal negligence while rendering their services. “In the past days, only a police constable used to have a control over the city but here, the situation has diametrically changed.”

Concluding his remarks, the CJP said the federal government had focused its full attention in restoring peace of Karachi.

“We want to resolve the issues in Balochistan at the local level, otherwise, forces would have to be called for restoration of peace and tranquility in the city, as the government’s writ is seldom seen in Quetta.”