Pak chief justice refuses to meet UN on disappearances

Pakistan's Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on Tuesday declined to meet UN officials investigating enforced disappearances, with the Supreme Court saying the issue is sub-judice as several cases of missing persons are pending in court. 

The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances had expressed a desire to meet with the Chief Justice during its ongoing visit to Pakistan.

The Foreign Ministry sent two letters to the Supreme Court, saying it supported a meeting of the UN officials with the Chief Justice. ‘Through a letter dated 10.9.2012 of (the Supreme) Court, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was informed that as the cases of missing persons are pending before this court, therefore, propriety demanded that the Chief Justice may not discuss the matter which is sub-judice,’ said a statement issued by the apex court's spokesman. ‘Therefore, regrets were conveyed to the Ministry, expressing the inability of the Chief Justice to receive the UN delegation,’ the statement said.