The CJ remarked, “How long we will avert the applicants. There is a limit to everything. The missing persons’ matter is the most important issue of the country. We cannot close our eyes to it. Why the government does not address this issue. Why any policy is not evolved in this respect. Appointing the lawyer by the Defence Ministry in the presence of Attorney General (AG) is tantamount to expressing mistrust. We have lost our peace of mind. To what level restlessness of those persons has reached whose sons have been lifted. A police officer is recording major evidence and it will be the state failure if the missing persons are not recovered now.”
Justice Jawad S Khawaja remarked, “The police officer is saying personnel of intelligence agencies have picked up youths. What else can be a bigger evidence than this. This is a serious matter. The government should either give us in writing that we abandon the hearing of these matters or these issues be resolved at the government level.”
These remarks were made while a three-member bench of the SC headed by the CJ took up the missing persons’ case for hearing. Sub Inspector Ehsan Elahi and Additional Attorney General (AAG) Tariq Khokhar appeared in the court.
The AAG told the court the police officer had leveled charges with reference to intelligence agencies. Possibility is there that the Defence Ministry will appoint its lawyer or file some statement in this respect.
The CJ remarked “The matters have gone too far ahead already. You should realise that it has become the biggest issue of the country.” The CJ inquired who would pay the fee of the lawyer. Justice Jawad remarked, “The fee will be paid out of the taxes collected from the people. The issue should be resolved.”
The court directed the AG to ascertain what the government was doing in this connection. The AAG said the government was formulating a policy in this regard. The court sought a reply from the Defence Ministry by July 26.
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