Missing persons' case: former Justice Iqbal appointed chairman of the Commission, Supreme Court told

The Supreme Court was informed on Monday that former judge Justice Javed Iqbal has been appointed as Chairman of the Judicial Commission for Missing Persons whose notification would be issued shortly. Additional Attorney General for Pakistan K.K Agha apprised a three-member bench comprising Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain who was hearing the missing persons' case.
Agha added that the government has also constituted a committee that will compensate the heirs of the missing persons, adding that recently they have forwarded as many as 22 cases of missing persons of which the committee has scrutinised six cases, whose near and dear ones would be compensated. During the course of hearing when Amna Masood Janjua, spouse of missing Masood Janjua and Chairperson Defence of Human Rights informed the bench that they were ready to pardon those who were involved in abduction of their near and dear ones just to resolve the matter of missing persons. Janjua submitted that at least the heirs of the missing persons must be informed about the whereabouts of their relatives.
Justice Jawad S Khawaja said in his remarks that the court would not accept pardon from those people who were responsible for abducting the people illegally. The bench was informed by the mother of a missing person Faisal Faraz that she has not yet been intimated about the whereabouts of her son, adding that even the investigation officers have not yet recorded her statement.
Jawad S Khawaja expressed dissatisfaction over the progress related to investigation of missing persons' case so far. Meanwhile, the court referred 252 cases to the judicial commission for missing persons and directed the government to ensure within one week, payments of compensation to the heirs of the missing persons. The court while taking up 9 chronic cases of missing persons also directed the Additional Attorney General to submit before the court, details of these cases within a week.
The court also directed the government to inform the court about reasons if any in the payment of compensation to the heirs of the missing persons. Amna Masood Janjua requested the court that she wanted to have a meeting with DG ISI to give some suggestions regarding missing persons' case.
The court asked the Additional Attorney General to co-ordinate in this regard. K K Agha however, submitted before the court that Secretary Defence had already submitted his statement in this regard. The bench issued directives to the government to ensure provision of compensatory amount to the heirs of the missing persons within one week and adjourned the hearing till October 12.