Daily Times

Heart-wrenching visuals of the father of recently-abducted Baloch student Feroze Baloch holding a placard for his safe release on Father’s Day reiterate for the umpteenth time that those who conveniently go “missing” are much, much more than a talley count.

In an ideal world, no force could supersede the security and safety of a law-abiding citizen in a sovereign state. By extension, any such anomaly would have jerked the authorities to action as they moved heavens and earth in pursuit of answers. Sadly for the children of the lesser gods, this is the Islamic Republic of Pakistan where a higher judiciary needs to shake the federal government out of complacency and scream out what is clearly written in the constitution. Even then, no ruling–however historic–is able to live through one news cycle.

When Islamabad High Court decided to rope in a long queue of executives from Pervez Musharraf all the way to incumbent Shahbaz Sharif for clarifications as to why they should not be tried for “undeclared tacit approval” of enforced disappearances, the surprising ruling created murmurs all over.

But soon after, newspapers got tired of the age-old saga and television anchors moved on to more attention-worthy scandals because those who were supposed to show some action preferred to keep their heads buried. The entire episode reeks of a sinister agenda because anyone daring to let out a howler is instantly implicated in frivolous charges. Swarms upon swarms of desperate family members sitting outside press clubs and official buildings have become a routine affair, which the authorities have become immune to.

A very clever approach because nothing solves a problem easier than shutting eyes and pretending it does not exist. Harping to the tune of civilian supremacy and negotiating with some powers operating from behind an iron curtain does not suit those at the helm of an independent country. The sooner far more critical mud-slinging activities are shelved for a session or two to demand answers from the law enforcement agencies why they take pleasure in picking people off the roads without trying them in courts. *