IHC Summons Interior, HR Secretaries In Baloch Students' Case.

ISLAMABAD -- The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday summoned Senate Secretariat and Ministry of Human Rights secretaries to appear before the court in person for not convening a meeting of eleven-member commission , constituted on its directives to inquire and investigate into the grievances of Baloch students regarding 'racial profiling' and enforced disappearances.

In this regard, a single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah conducted hearing of a petition, seeking recovery of a missing person Hafeez Baloch, a student of Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) and directed the secretaries to explain why a meeting of the Commission has not been held despite the importance of the matter and lapse of considerable time. The IHC bench also directed the Ministry of Interior secretary to submit a report before the next date fixed and explain why the grievances of the students of Balochistan have not been attended to, despite their meeting with the Minister for Interior.

Justice Athar noted in his written order that there cannot be a more serious and grave violation of the guaranteed fundamental rights when young citizens, belonging to a particular area of Pakistan have reasons to believe that they are being racially profiled and treated differently. He added that it is intolerable in a society governed under the Constitution to ignore such grave grievances.

The IHC chief justice directed Ministry of Defence secretary to submit a report regarding the progress of disciplinary proceedings against the official who had visited the Quaid-e-Azam...