ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has a word of caution for the deputy inspector general of Frontier Corps Balochistan which has been accused of picking up people and being responsible for the missing persons in the province.

“You are there to protect the citizens and your uniform should inspire confidence among them,” Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani observed on Thursday.

A three-judge bench headed by the chief justice had taken up a contempt of court case against the FC inspector general and the law and order situation in Balochistan.

“You are a state functionary and should be the symbol of justice and fairness,” the chief justice said while pointing to DIG Brigadier Khalid Saleem who will act as FC chief till Dec 22 in place of Maj Gen Ijaz Shahid who is indisposed.

Additional Attorney General Shahkhawar submitted to the court a set of notifications allowing the FC chief to proceed on a sick leave and appointing Brig Saleem in his place.

Attorney General Muneer A. Malik informed the court that he would not appear in the case because before his elevation to present post he was assisting the court as amicus curiae (friend of court) and had also made known his opinion on the matter.

The bench had to put off proceedings for some time because of the absence of the FC’s acting IG who later rushed to the court to assure the judges that all efforts would be made to trace the missing persons. But he rejected a perception that disappeared people were in the FC custody.

Contrary to the Dec 11 proceedings which had seen a bickering between then chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Irfan Qadir, representing the FC chief, Thursday’s hearing went without any acrimony.

The acting FC chief said the allegations were demoralising the force and the perception that it was behind the enforced disappearances should end.

Referring to the SC order of producing before Balochistan’s Crime Investigation Department DIG Imtiaz Ahmed Shah of 19 FC personnel as identified by the district and sessions judge Quetta for their alleged involvement in the disappearances, Brig Saleem said that one of them was a non-commissioned officer and facing the process of law. He is on a pre-arrest bail. A few of the officers had been repatriated to the army and a letter was written to the interior ministry for their appearance before the CID, he added.

Brig Saleem assured the court that he would submit a report in this regard on Dec 26 -- the next date of hearing.

About security for doctors and steps to curb the rising trend of kidnapping for ransom, Balochistan Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad said it was very difficult to protect more than 2,000 doctors in Quetta. Perhaps private security could be the answer, he said, but assured the court that he would meet Dr Mohammad Gul Kakar, a representative of the Pakistan Medical Association in Quetta, to work out a security plan.

Balochistan Inspector General Mushtaq Sukhaira informed the court that police had built security wall around the Services Hospital Quetta and set up checkpost near the place where most of the clinics were situated.

Besides, he said, the home ministry was also considering to provide arms licences to doctors for personal security.

The court said that doctors should have moral courage to come forward and confide the names of people involved in their colleagues’ kidnapping.

It ordered the Balochistan IG to submit a report about the arrest of kidnappers and recovery of those kidnapped.