SC directs police to hand over daughters to Dr Mehreen Baloch

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday observed that in feudal societies minor children remain missing for years but not in countries, believing in rule of law and supremacy of the constitution.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial, heard a case involving Dr Mehreen Baloch of Karachi and her father, Asif Baloch. The court directed the Sindh Police to hand over the two recovered daughters to Dr Mehreen Baloch besides directing their counselling through a psychiatristc expert.

The court again directed the Sindh police to bring forward the accused involved in the abduction of two girls. In the present case, we want to make vibrant law pertaining to rights of children”, Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial remarked adding an injustice was made while abducting the two girls and keeping them, for six years. It is the feudal system wherein girls were kept missing for six years but not in countries, believing in rule of law and supremacy of the constitution”, the Chief Justice observed.

Justice Ayesha A Malik asked the police about the latest development in the case. DIG Sindh Police told the court that the father as well as other 13 persons were involved in the abduction of two daughters of Dr Mehreen Baloch. The father has filed cases against me the DIG told the court while requesting abolishing the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in the instant case”. At this Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi asked the Sindh police chief to immediately withdraw the applications, filed against DIG.

The judge observed that the DIG Police recovered the two girls on the orders of the apex court. Ali Ahmed Kurd, counsel for the father of two daughters, told the court that the father is the actual guardian of the children hence he should not be proceeded against. “Kurd sahib you are very enthusiastic therefore we should also show a little enthusiasm for the fundamental rights of girls as well”, the CJP asked Kurd in a lighter mood.

Later, the court ordered the father to talk to his daughters on phone besides meeting them and adjourned the further hearing until after Ramadan.