SC orders arrest of those responsible for missing persons

Published December 2, 2013
Supreme Court of Pakistan's Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry ordered for the arrest and registration of cases against those responsible for the disappearances. — File Photo
Supreme Court of Pakistan's Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry ordered for the arrest and registration of cases against those responsible for the disappearances. — File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court of Pakistan's Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Monday ordered for the arrest of those responsible for the enforced disappearances whereas Attorney General of Pakistan told the bench that two of the 35 missing persons had died, DawnNews reported.

A three-member-bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry resumed the hearing of the missing persons case.

During the hearing, Attorney General of Pakistan Munir A Malik informed the bench that two of the 35 missing persons had died upon which Justice Iftikhar inquired about their cause of death.

Additional defence secretary responded that the two detainees had died of natural causes.

The bench then ordered for the production of the remaining 33 undeclared detainees in court today.

The Chief Justice in his remarks said that the Superintendent of Malakand Internment Centre, Ataullah, had submitted a statement before the Peshawar High Court two years ago that the army had handed over 35 persons to him and later took them away.

He also ordered for the arrest and registration of cases against those responsible for the disappearances.

Moreover, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government disclosed that there were 43 detention centres in the province.

Earlier, during the Nov 26 hering over the case,Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry had warned the defence minister (the post then held by the prime minister) and the defence secretary to either produce the 35 undeclared detainees taken away by the army authorities from an internment centre or face consequences.

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