'Who is responsible for enforced disappearances; is there state within state?' asks Justice Minallah.

ISLAMABAD -- Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah asked Friday who was responsible for enforced disappearances of people and wondered whether there was a "state operating within the state."

Justice Minallah's questions came during the hearing relating to the disappearance of journalist Muadassir Naro and five other people, where the deputy attorney-general appeared before the court.

The IHC chief justice asked the deputy attorney-general that in the court's previous order, the relevant authorities were asked to produce the disappeared people. 'Where are they?'

At this, the deputy attorney-general told the IHC that the federal government has constituted a committee for the missing persons and the relevant investigation agencies are employing efforts to recover them.

'Don't involve this court in the matters of committees. Tell me whether you will implement the [orders] or not? Where is the federal government?' the justice asked.

The IHC CJ said people are being picked up every day and nothing is being done about it.

He added that in the previous order, the court asked the federal government to issue notices to ex-president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf and the prime ministers succeeding him.

'Where are the notices and their affidavits?' he asked.

In the order issued last month, the IHC directed the federal government to serve notices to Musharraf and all other successors - the former prime ministers, including the incumbent holder of the office.

The...