‘State should be held responsible if a person goes missing’

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC), on Monday said that the state should be held responsible, if a person goes missing. Chief Justice Athar Minallah gave the remarks, while hearing a petition filed by the family of a missing journalist, Mudassar Naru.

He said the Commission for Inquiry of Enforced Disappearances was formed but it does nothing except postpone hearings. He said there are thousands of families whose loved ones have gone missing, but no one bothers. He maintained that the State is responsible for missing persons and this practice should end.

Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan told the court that Naru’s family met with Prime Minister Imran Khan and the government was serious about the recovery of the missing persons. He added that the government needed more time to submit a report on the matter.

The IHC CJ remarked that a person went missing from Islamabad last year and then it was said that he had gone to the Northern Areas for a picnic. He further said that there was an impression that enforced disappearance was the policy of the State.

Justice Minallah also said he does not know if the media is free or not, but if it were, then pictures of the missing persons would have been on the front page. He said either the chief executive take responsibility for the missing persons or he holds his subordinates [involved in this practice] accountable.

He stated that the practice of enforced disappearances has been going on in Pakistan since the 1970s. The AGP, Khan, said that not every issue can be fixed by the courts as some issues can only be resolved by people themselves. He said that they should come out on streets [to protest] and added that since the 70s extra-judicial murders have been taking place in Pakistan.

Justice Minallah responded that the court verdict can also fix issues if the government can identify the ones responsible for this practice. He maintained that when there is an impression that the State is involved in these crimes, then nothing can be more serious than that.

Khan said that he was ready to assist the court in the matter as he supported democracy and rule of law. Naru’s counsel Iman Mazari also expressed her willingness to assist the bench. Later, the bench deferred the hearing till January 18.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021