Hazara killings: Federal govt responsible for Quetta carnage says CJ

Dawn.com Published February 19, 2013

The Supreme Court of Pakistan.—File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said on Tuesday that the responsibility of Saturday’s deadly bombing which had claimed 87 lives in Quetta fell on the Federal government, DawnNews reported.

A three-member bench of the apex court led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was hearing the case.

Justice Iftikhar remarked during the hearing the Governor of Balochistan should have met with dignitaries in order to find a solution to the problems.

He further said the the ex-chief minister Nawab Aslam Raisani was held responsible for the previous attack (Quetta's Alamdar road blast) adding that why should the Prime Minister and Governor not accept responsibility for the recent incident.

The bench adjourned the hearing on the case until tomorrow (Feb 20) and directed the intelligence agencies to submit their report by Tuesday evening.

Earlier during the hearing the court had summoned the Interior and Defence Secretaries.

Giving his remarks, CJ said that the previous attack in Quetta’s Alamdar Road was a good opportunity to conduct a clean-up operation.

He further said that law enforcement and intelligence agencies had failed and that the federal and provincial government did not take the necessary steps to improve the situation.

Moreover, he inquired regarding the steps that the government had taken until now. And about the truck which was used in the Kirani road blast.

The advocate General Balochistan Amanullah Kinrani replied that the four suspected terrorist were killed in an operation conducted near Quetta earlier on Tuesday and engine and chassis number of the truck were under examination.

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Feb 19, 2013 07:52pm

What a brilliant post Prof L. H. Zaidi. You have covered every aspect of the crisis in Pakistan so well. Particularly, the root cause of the problem and the petro $ used to buy our courrupt politicians, civil servants and some in military. I am pleasantly surprised that your comment was published, Kudos to Dawn. Dawn, can you identify the 3 people who disliked the post, NAME and SHAME the haters is the only way forward.

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Agha Ata (USA)

Feb 19, 2013 06:42pm

Yes, you have said it all. But would they read it?

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Saman Siddiqui

Feb 19, 2013 03:43pm

Sir, You have said it all, from the narrow mindedness of General Zia to the belligerent fools running our country. two thumbs up

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cautious

Feb 19, 2013 05:39pm

Assigning responsibility for the Quetta tragedy would require passing out a lot of mirrors. The SC, military and civilian govt all have contributed to this mess. Perhaps it's time for the SC to step up to the plate and do something constructive to fix this mess - keeping the bad guys in prison would be a start.

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Seema

Feb 19, 2013 07:21pm

Sir, You dared to say those facts, which Media dare not to discuss.

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Azhar

Feb 19, 2013 03:33pm

The solution is not in Quetta. Need to arrest around ten people in Islamabad. Problem solved.

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ac1960

Feb 19, 2013 06:42am

Yet another suo moto action by the publicity hungry CJ which will not provide any useful result as in previous so many suo moto actions (look Karachi). It is a wastage of time and public money without any thing positive coming from such actions.

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Ali

Feb 19, 2013 06:50am

Finally after hundreds are dead CJ takes the notice of the killing of innocent civilians. Just a reminder, nun of the terrorist arrested by the armed forces were punished by our judicial system. No changes were made in the constitution to strengthen the laws of the state. Shame on the institutions ..Shame on the people of Pakistan to still be in there homes and not do anything. Shame on the media for not playing there part. People have lost hope in the country that we loved and lived for. Shame on those who call it a democracy. Shame on the president for not visiting the families of the dead or at least be sympathetic. Shame on the Parliament that is incapable of making any decisions ..

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Waheed Arshad

Feb 19, 2013 07:36am

Any Government's primary job is to protect the lives and property of its citizens. Provincial Governments in Baluchistan, Sindh, KPK, Punjab and Balistan have repeatedly failed to do so. The Federal government has also failed. All of them should resign and hand over the control to the Army. Protection of Life and property is way more important than elections or so-called democracy

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Khanm

Feb 19, 2013 07:53am

Wonder why we do things at eleventh hours. Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as first it resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens.

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obaid

Feb 19, 2013 08:01am

Yeah summon them, slap 'em on the wrist and then business as usual

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hello

Feb 19, 2013 09:28am

come out of 7th century to 21st ceentury .a lot of problems will be solved for you and world.

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Syed

Feb 19, 2013 04:32pm

Bravo Professor Zaidi. I agree with every word you wrote. Mubashar Luqman said in his program that this nation is DEAD. Thank God for our belief that we must never lose hope. Allah ka bharosa hai because we lost hope from all the people with power in Pakistan.

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MMS (USA)

Feb 19, 2013 11:36am

A lot of lip service. Anyone want to bet, nothing will become of this. A few arrests and then the famous words. "No Evidence". Someone said "we did it" arrest that person and hang him. Do it a couple of times and it will stop. There is an old saying which states that the people determine the type of governance they want.

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Shahzad

Feb 19, 2013 09:54pm

Strange... what is CJ's agenda behind this? He is against the extra judicial holdings, the justice system is so bad that that the worst cannot be convicted, and then he has guts to make such a political statement? You have to make sacrifices dear .... if guantanamo bay is the only resort for Americans then perhaps the CJ needs to think twice. In my opinion, he himself is responsible for first putting a leash on what can be done and then blaming the rest on everyone else!

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sam

Feb 19, 2013 09:04pm

Great and everything is true

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