Interim PM Kakar Faces IHC Over Baloch Students

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar addressed the Islamabad High Court on Wednesday, revealing that armed groups are engaged in a struggle to establish a new state in Balochistan. This disclosure came in the context of a case related to the disappearance of Baloch students, where the government is confronting an armed conflict in the southwestern province. The Prime Minister emphasized that the issue of enforced disappearances is being addressed in accordance with the Constitution and legal frameworks.

He underscored that both the government and ordinary citizens should refrain from taking up arms, emphasizing that the state bears the responsibility of ensuring the protection of its people. He advocated for a distinct approach in dealing with those engaged in armed conflict. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani clarified that the court is not advocating for the protection of non-state actors and acknowledged the ongoing efforts of armed forces and institutions against such elements.

Read more: Interim PM Kakar Called Over Baloch Students Disappearance

Justice Kayani brought attention to the accusations implicating paramilitary forces and other agencies in disappearance cases. He criticized the lack of advocacy for human rights when non-state actors committed atrocities, such as burning people alive in a bus on the coastal highway in Balochistan and targeted killings of individuals from other provinces. He pointed out that those advocating for missing persons seem uninterested in resolving the issue.

During the proceedings, the Prime Minister disclosed that, according to families and representatives, the number of missing persons is around 5,000, acknowledging flaws in the system. Justice Kayani highlighted the absence of an official statement in the last 24 months regarding individuals being in the custody of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), attributing it to the state’s failure in prosecution, stressing the importance of adherence to the law.

It is noteworthy that the Islamabad High Court had summoned the Prime Minister for the third time, following his absence in the previous two hearings despite notices being issued.