ISLAMABAD, May 14: The Supreme Court expressed concern on Monday over the increased distrust and alienation between the Frontier Corps and people of Balochistan.

“Ninety per cent of the people are accusing the FC of abductions,” Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry lamented, after Inspector General of FC Maj Gen Obaidullah Jan Khattak finally appeared before the court.

At the last hearing on Friday, the court had expressed its disappointment over his absence and warned of taking him to task if he did not show up on Monday.

A three-judge bench comprising the chief justice, Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain is hearing a petition on the law and order situation and human rights violations in Balochistan. It was filed by a former president of the Balochistan High Court Bar Association, Hadi Shakeel.

The chief justice pointed at Maj Gen Khattak and bemoaned the abduction allegations against the FC. The court said it was his responsibility to reply to the accusations because he was heading the FC.

Evidence against FC The allegations against the FC consist of an earlier statement submitted to the court by Deputy Inspector General (operations) of Balochistan Hamid Shakeel that three missing persons, about whom the court put a question, had been picked up by the FC.

The proof could be ascertained from a CCTV footage taken from a private hotel room showing them being whisked away by FC personnel.

The footage was displayed during the proceedings.

“Prima facie, there is sufficient evidence against the FC of abducting missing persons. A police official has also confirmed that an FC vehicle was used in the abduction. The court cannot ignore this incident,” the CJ said, adding that though the court could never deny the sacrifices rendered by the FC, it was the job of FC personnel to maintain its credibility and confidence in the public eye.

FC IG denies allegations The inspector general of FC, however, expressed doubt about the video and explained that FC personnel always moved in two vehicles. The CCTV footage showed only one vehicle. Maj Gen Khattak also highlighted a number of complaints regarding criminals impersonating FC personnel and carrying out abductions.

“There is a lack of trust between law enforcement agencies and local residents,” Justice Khilji said and stressed the need for building that trust between the public and the forces to deal with the situation.

The FC chief denied the allegations and said his force was looking for the missing persons.

“Who should one turn to when even the Rangers and the police fail to recover the missing,” the CJ regretted and said the matter had become a key issue in the province.

The court expressed displeasure over the performance of Balochistan police and FC, asking the FC chief and the acting inspector general (AIG) of police to put their heads together and trace those involved in the abduction of these three persons. More than 15 days had passed and despite several adjournments, no progress had been made in the recovery of missing persons, it said.

The FC chief and the AIG were ordered to submit by May 21 statements on the law and order situation and the missing Baloch people.

Maj Gen Khattak assured the court that every possible effort would be made to recover the missing persons and that all orders of the court would be implemented in letter and spirit with an aim to improve the situation in the province.

He said 1,931 terrorist attacks had been carried out across the province in the period up to January 2012. Terrorists claimed responsibility for 886 of the incidents.

“Has your force made any progress in hunting down the perpetrators of these 886 attacks?” Justice Jawad asked the FC chief.

And when the FC IG replied that he did not have the record, the judge said he had got the answer. The AIG informed the court that he had been appointed on May 11, adding that he had summoned all records relating to the missing persons and started investigation. He sought more time to submit a report on the issue after holding a meeting with officials of secret agencies.

The court asked the Advocate General of Balochistan, Amanullah Kinrani, and the registrar office to provide copies of its earlier orders to the FC and Balochistan police chiefs so that they could assist the court in a better way by taking prompt action under its directions.