Khawaja Asif assures SC of presenting missing persons on Friday
The defence minister says not all but maximum number of missing persons would be produced tomorrow.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday ordered the Ministry of Defence to present all missing persons on Friday.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry resumed hearing of the case.
In his remarks, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said if the missing persons were involved in any crime the government could frame charges against them.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif sought some more time from the court and submitted written assurance to the court.
During the hearing, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif telephoned Khawaja Asif who after the permission of the court attended the call.
The CJ asked Khawaja Asif to brief the PM on the progress of the matter. The defence minister told the court that the government would give good news to the Registrar Supreme Court.
Upon this, the CJP said why only Registrar would be given the good news; we all should receive the news about the progress.
Khawaja Asif held consultation with Attorney General Munir A Malik and informed the court that tomorrow the government would produce not all but many of the missing persons to the court.
The Chief Justice said not only tomorrow but the court could even resume the hearing on Saturday and Sunday to reach the conclusion of the matter.
The SC ordered the defence minister to make sure the presence of 30 missing persons on the next hearing.
The bench adjourned the hearing of the case and ordered to present missing persons by tomorrow.
Talking to media outside Supreme Court, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said it was impossible to present the missing persons to the court today, however, a maximum number of them would be presented in the Supreme Court tomorrow.
He said that there were security threats to the missing persons however he could understand the feelings of the families of these persons.
The defence minister said that the government also wants that the Supreme Court should resolve the issue of missing persons.
Earlier, during the hearing, The Supreme Court issued a contempt of court notice to Inspector General Frontier Corps Major General Ejaz Shahid for not appearing in the court in the missing persons case.
During case proceedings, the Chief Justice remarked that IG FC is bound to obey court orders. He remained absent without giving any reason.
IG FC had assured the court over recovery of the missing persons, he added.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif requested the court to hold in-camera proceedings due to sensitive nature of the case.
Khwaja Asif cited that he could face life threats if the information was revealed in the court.
On this, CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry remarked that in-camera hearing cannot be held until the government presents the missing persons. He also suggested that ‘sensitive information’ can be handed over to the court in a written form.
Court is ready to go to any extent in this case, the CJP stated.
Khwaja Asif said that it will take some time to find out about the missing persons and assured the court that the government doesn’t intend to prolong the issue.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General requested the bench to give some more time for recovery of the missing persons.
The bench rejected the request and directed the concerned authorities to present missing persons by 4:00pm today.
