SC directs govt to submit report on Balochistan security measures

Supreme Court of Pakistan. — Photo by AP ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday directed Attorney General Pakistan to submit a report within three days regarding the prime minister’s measures to improve the security situation in Balochistan, DawnNews reported. A three judges’ bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, issued the directive during the hearing of a petition regarding the deteriorating law and order situation in the province. The petition was filed by President Balochistan High Court Bar Association Hadi Shakeel. The petition stated that the province had 5,000 missing persons and that target killings and kidnapping for ransom were becoming routine occurrences in Balochistan. Chief Justice Iftikhar said that Balochistan's Inspector General Police and Home Secretary in their reports expressed their inability to deal with the situation in the province. During the hearing, Justice Sahir Ali remarked that there appeared to be no writ of the government in Balochistan and that the province had become dangerous to travel in. The court also directed Director General Military Intelligence, Inspector General Frontier Corps and heads of other law enforcement agencies to submit a detailed reply on the situation in Balochistan. The hearing was subsequently adjourned to March 2.