IHC’s Justice Kiani says courts to hear missing persons cases as long as it takes

Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani said categorically on Tuesday that courts would continue to hear the cases of missing persons as long as they continued to be reported, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

During the hearing of the missing Baloch students’ case, the judge said that the case under review was not the only one of its kind. “There are several such cases. And it is not that we give an order in one case, and the matter is over,” he said.

Referring to yesterday’s presser addressed by Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazir Tarar only a few hours after he heard the petition, seeking the recovery of Kashmiri poet Ahmad Farhad, the judge said that the court was least bothered about these press conferences. “The court is over and above all of this,” he remarked.  

He, however, said that the efforts made by the attorney-general of Pakistan (AGP) for the recovery of missing persons must be appreciated as lots of such persons were reunited with their families as a result of his efforts.

On Monday, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani, while hearing the petition, seeking the recovery of Kashmiri poet, had hinted at summoning the DG ISI and the DG MI if he was not recovered.

An official of the Ministry of Defence told the court that the ministry had contacted the ISI to know whether the man was in their custody, but the agency denied it.

In response, the judge said he would summon defence and interior secretaries tomorrow. “This matter is now beyond the ISI’s domain,” he said, adding, “This is a failure on their part that they cannot do that lies in their jurisdiction.”

He lamented that the country’s intelligence agencies were not interested in doing their own work.

Justice Kiani said there was no need for these agencies if they could not restrict themselves to what they were supposed to do.

Reporter: Ihtesham Kiani