The Supreme Court has directed government to give details of the 56 recovered persons out of a list of 148 missing persons. A three-member bench comprising Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar and Justice Shakirullah Jan held hearing of petitions about the missing persons after a week's break here on Friday.
Relatives of the missing persons and human rights organisations including Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Asian Human Rights Commission, Defence of Human Rights Organisation have filed petitions in the apex court for their recovery.
Deputy Attorney General Tariq Mahmood Khokhar presented a list of 56 persons who have been recovered and released on the court orders and submitted that efforts are being made for recovery of the remaining missing persons, however, no progress has been made so far.
He submitted that the government could not ascertain whereabouts of five missing persons Faisal Faraz, Assad Usman, Attiqur Rehman, Naeem Noor Khan while Imran Nazeer is being court marshalled on charges of providing funds to foreigners. Counsel for HRCP Fakharuddin G. Ibrahim argued that it was not enough to say that the government had recovered and released 56 persons.
He demanded that the Interior Ministry should give an affidavit about these persons giving information with regard to: which agency arrested them, when & where were they arrested and kept, and on what charges so that legal action could be taken against culprits since law does not allow any one to pick up people like this.
The court expressed dissatisfaction over the Interior Ministry's efforts and directed to give an affidavit about the recovered persons on next hearing, and in the meanwhile arrange a meeting of all the under-trial prisoners with their relatives.
Farhatullah Babar of Pakistan Peoples Party also addressed the court and submitted that if the Interior Ministry had failed to locate these persons, then names of the missing persons should be advertised in the newspapers and media to seek public co-operation.
The head of the bench Mr Justice Javed Iqbal observed that the law and order situation of the country is not satisfactory, bombs are exploding and people are dying; it is not only Balochistan but the entire country is disturbed; therefore in these circumstances the law enforcing agencies have to carry out their responsibilities and protect life and property of the people.
The court assured the families of the missing persons that it would take necessary steps to mitigate their sufferings. Further hearing of the petitions were adjourned to 11th May.