Human rights groups across the country have also been taking out rallies on a regular basis to keep the issue alive.

ISLAMABAD: A Supreme Court bench hearing the missing persons’ case on Tuesday warned the country’s top security officials against failing to recover hundreds of missing persons despite court directions.

The court directed the Attorney General to consult the Interior and Defence ministries’ secretaries as well as heads of intelligence agencies for the missing persons’ recovery.

The missing persons’ case has dominated court proceedings for more than four years now.

The missing persons’ relatives allege their loved ones were picked up by intelligence agencies and were never produced before the court.

Human rights groups across the country have also been taking out rallies on a regular basis to keep the issue alive.

However, so far very few of the missing persons have been recovered.

The majority of the missing was reported in the Balochistan province during the military operation conducted by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

The government has repeatedly assured the relatives of the missing, but nothing has materialised regarding their recovery.

Now the apex court has once again warned top security officials against inaction saying no agency is above the law.

A judge of Supreme Court (SC) Justice Javaid Iqbal, in his remarks, while conducting hearing of cases of missing people, has said state has completely botched in rendering obligations levied upon it, adding, Balochistan adversities can never be addressed properly unless the resolution of missing people issue.

A three-member-bench of SC, headed by Justice Javaid Iqbal, held hearing of missing people today.

No agency or institution is exempted from constitution, remarked Justice Javaid, urging upon parliament to play its due role in legislating law for the recovery of missing and abducted people.

“I wonder how democracy gets jeopardized all of a sudden”, he wondered adding, “Even judges have rendered sacrifices more than any one else for the restoration of democracy and they are more patriot than others.”

Cases like missing people pose threat to democracy instead of any judicial verdict, as judiciary and independent judiciary itself is basic element for stability, hegemony and prosperity of democracy, he added.

Adjoining the hearing of case for two weeks, the court has resolved to hold hearing on daily basis and also issued directives to Attorney General to produce before court, the list of missing people.