Balochistan Police Acquires Video Evidence of FC's Involvement in Illegal Detentions
Baloch Hal editorial | May 11, 2012 Story
ISLAMABAD: The Balochistan Police has informed the Supreme Court of Pakistan that it has "substantial evidence" of the Frontier Corp's (FC) involvement in extrajudicial arrests and disappearances in Balochistan, an issue which the local police are absolutely powerless to grapple with considering the enormous powers the FC enjoys in Balochistan.
Mr. Hamid Shakil, the Deputy Inspector General of the Balochistan Police, informed the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday that the Police had attained video evidence from the close-circuit cameras of a local hotel in Quetta showing FC personnel illegally whisking away three missing Baloch persons. They were picked up from the hotel, put into an FC vehicle and taken to an unknown location, the top police officer informed the apex court.
"We are absolutely powerless in front of the Frontier Corps," admitted the DIG , whose remarks were further endorsed by Balochistan's Advocate General Amanullah Kanrani who informed that court that the FC did not follow the instructions of the Balochistan government.
"The FC only listens to the federal government," he informed the court, "because they are controlled by the central government."
Major General Ubaidullah Khan, the non-local Inspector General of the Frontier Corps, did not appear before the court although he had been asked to provide an explanation for charges about the involvement of the powerful force that he heads in the restive province.
Earlier, cases were registered against two FC majors in connection to the cases of illegal disappearances.
The Chief Justice recalled that the IG FC had assured the court in a previous hearing of his appearance in the future hearings but he did not fulfill his promise which irked the country's senior most judge.
"No one should live under any illusion," warned the Chief Justice Ifthakar Mohammad Chaudhary while referring to the IG FC, "the Supreme Court knows how to implement its orders."
Major Sohail, a representative of the FC, told the Court that the IG could not appear in the hearing due to "some other important engagements". The Chief Justice did not entertain his excuse and said the disappearance of citizens was a "more pressing issue" than any other matter which had caught the IG FC busy. He ordered the IG FC and the provincial chief of the police to appear before the court on May 14th.
