Editorial: J. For Justice J. For Judges

Lawyers and judges in Balochistan are justified in their anguish. They are boycotting the courts and marching on the roads. They feel insecure and helpless as well. They feel almost betrayed because the lawyers’ community in rest of Pakistan is not forthcoming to join them in the movement. Lawyers have been kidnapped, so have the judges.

The session and civil judges of Sibi district were kidnapped three days ago when they were heading toward Usta Mohammad to attend a wedding ceremony. These judges were abducted at a time when at least three lawyers had been kidnapped.

The government has been alerted after the kidnapping of the judges. Federal Minister for Interior Affairs Senator Rehman Malik presided over a high-ranking meeting in the federal capital, Islamabad, the other day to take urgent action in the wake of the abduction of judges and lawyers. It was decided in the meeting to constitute a joint investigation team which would be headed by an of DIG (Deputy Inspector General) rank officer. The investigation team will also include officials of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Federal Investigation Authority (FIA). The Inspector General of Police in Balochistan and the provincial Home Secretary were instructed by the federal minister to give a “in-person” briefing to Chief Minister Raisani about the progress made on the matter.

On the other hand, Balochistan police have detained more than one hundred suspects in raids conducted in Sohbatpur, Capital Farm, Usta Mohammad, Thambo, Pat Feeder, Rabi Canal and Mangoli areas. Yet, the arrests 0f usual suspects has not led to any breakthrough in the efforts to safely recover the kidnapped judges and lawyers.

As no political or religious group has accepted responsibility, it is safe to conclude that organized criminal groups masterminded the kidnappings. In the midst of other problems, kidnapping for ransom and highway robberies have received too little attention in the media and government. These issues are in fact as serious as sectarian killings and arrest of political workers. The government has done nothing to dismantle the networks of kidnappers.

The kidnappings caused tremendous embarrassment to the government after unidentified people kidnapped a veteran Hindu religious leader. The event understandably terrified members of Hindu community. Days after the kidnapping of the Hindu spiritual leader, a newspaper reported that many Hinud families from Balochistan had submitted applications at the Indian High Commission to seek political asylum. India is most probably not going to welcome a lot of Pakistan asylum-seekers because of lack of trust between Islamabad and New Delhi on scores of issues.

Balochistan’s human rights crisis is manifold. Besides all these developments, killing of the son of a Zikri scholar in Kech (Turbat) district also deserves attention. The motives behind the killing have not been revealed yet but the government must be vigilant about any moves intended to intimidate members of the Zikri sect, against whom radical Muslim groups have been campaigning for a long time that they should be declared as non-Muslims. Such tactics of blackmail should be discouraged at official and community level.

Caught in the cross fire of various untoward incidents, the government of Balochistan should also be alarmed by the killing of prominent human rights activist Naeem Sabir Jamaldini who was also the coordinator of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in Khuzdar.

With the passage of every day, the government of Nawab Raisani is proving its failure to govern Balochistan properly. At the time of coming into power, the PPP government attributed all the mess to the Pervez Musharraf government and insisted that law and order issues would not resolved until police reforms were reversed. The government called for the restoration of the Levies force, a demand which was met but never led to peace in the province.

Lastly, the provincial secretary for home and tribal affairs, Akbar Hussain Durrani, is making fun of himself as well as that of the entire provincial government by rejecting the recent statement of Amnesty International on Balochistan. He alleged that the statement was meant to defame the Balochistan government. This is simply ridiculous. On their part, the people of Balochistan believe Amnesty International should have dug more information and its report should have encompassed more details of human rights violation.

While we wish the kidnapped lawyers and judges a safe and immediate recovery, it is anticipated that the government will get out of its “denial mode” and deal with all outstanding matters with a more professional and pragmatic approach.

http://www.thebalochhal.com/2011/03/editorial-j-for-justice-j-for-judges/