Baloch missing students case: IHC says interim PM should quit if he can’t work

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Monday again failed to appear before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a case pertaining to missing Baloch students.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani emphasized that if the caretaker prime minister, interim defence minister, defence secretary, caretaker interior minister, and interior secretary are unable to fulfill their duties, they should resign from their positions. These remarks came during the hearing of the Baloch missing students case, over which Justice Kiani presided.

The hearing was adjourned until the following week, with interim PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar summoned personally on February 28th. This followed a prior summons issued last week, where Kakar was directed to explain why a case should not be filed against him.

On November 29th, Justice Kayani had warned that legal action could be taken against the caretaker prime minister and others if they failed to reunite the missing Baloch students with their families.

During Monday’s proceedings, petitioner Imaan Mazari, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Awan, and Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Dogal were present in court. AGP Awan informed the court that, according to available information, eight students out of the remaining 12 missing Baloch students had not yet been recovered.

Expressing dissatisfaction, Justice Kiani questioned the absence of the caretaker ministers and secretaries, highlighting that it was the second time the interim PM had failed to appear in court. He noted that this marked the 24th hearing of the case, which had been ongoing since 2022, with the formation of a commission to address it.

The court observed that despite a two-year timeframe, no criminal case had been initiated, and no information or documents had been shared regarding the missing individuals. Additionally, it criticized the lack of action taken by successive governments over the years, noting that a commission could have been established to investigate the matter.

When the AGP requested a delay in the proceedings, Justice Kayani pointed out the inaction of multiple governments, spanning over three years, towards the recovery of the Baloch students, stressing that no substantial progress had been made despite changes in leadership.