ISLAMABAD – Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Wednesday informed the Islamabad High Court that armed individuals are fighting for creating a new state in Balochistan.
The premier made the statement as he appeared before the high court in a case related to missing of Baloch students. He added that the government was facing an armed struggle in the southwestern province.
He said the issue related to enforced disappearances was being handled in line with the Constitution and law.
The premier said the government and ordinary citizens could not take up the arms, adding that it is the responsibility of the state to ensure protection of its people. He asserted that the state should deal with the peopled involved in armed fighting with different approach.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani said the court is not asking for protecting the non-state actors. He acknowledged that armed forces and institutions are at fight against such elements.
He said that paramilitary forces and other agencies are accused of involvement in the disappearance cases while no one raised voice for human rights when people were burnt alive in a bus on the coastal highway in Balochistan by such non-state actors and targeted killing of people from other provinces.
He highlighted that those who are raising voice for missing persons did not want to resolve the issue.
At one point, the prime minister shared that number of missing persons, according to the families and representatives, is 5,000. He added that there were some flaws in the system.
Justice Kayani said there was no official statement in the last 24 months that someone is in the custody of CTD. He said it was the failure of the state that it could not prosecute them, adding that law must be followed.
It is recalled that IHC had summoned the premier for third time after he skipped previous two hearings despite issuance of notices.
PM Kakar skips IHC summons for second time in missing Baloch students case
