Hearing of missing persons case to take place in open court, not in chamber: CJP.

ISLAMABAD, November 23, 2009 (Balochistan Times): Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has remarked the hearing of missing person case will be held in open court and not in chamber. He gave these remarks while presiding over a 3-member Supreme Court (SC) bench during the course of hearing of missing persons case here Monday. Acting Attorney General (AAG) Shah Khawar informed the court cases of 154 out of list of 414 missing persons were pending. Particulars of 31 persons had been found which had been sent to the respective provinces so that they could be recovered and if there was any case against them they could be tried in the court , he added. AAG submitted the inquiry report in respect of missing persons in the court. The SC expressed dissatisfaction over the report and issued directives details of the persons who had been handed over to foreign countries be also provided to the court. A latest report about the missing persons who were in jail be also furnished to the court, SC further directed. CJP remarked government should inform the court if the missing persons were alive or they had died. Court can not give any decision under pressure from any side, therefore, the protest campaign for missing persons be discontinued, he further remarked. Aamna Masud, wife of Masood Janjua advocate appeared in the court and took the plea case was registered against her husband Masood Janjua in 2005 but no headway had been made in this connection so far. She prayed that court proceedings in her husband case be expedited. The SC while adjourning the hearing till December, 7 directed the government to present a comprehensive report about the missing persons in the court on next hearing.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)