While hearing the missing persons case on Tuesday the Supreme Court (SC) directed Islamabad Police Superintendent Tahir Alam to submit DNA reports of people who died during Lal Mosque operation in 2007, for peace of mind to relatives of the slain people, who would be able to access the related information.
A two-member bench of the court comprising Justice Javed Iqbal and Justice Ghulam Rabbani was hearing the case. Farid Ahmed Khan, secretary of Commission on Enforced Disappearance of People presented a detailed progress report. The report said that out of total 336 cases, 83 persons had been traced out after December 31, 2010, whereas 108 cases were disposed of and 20 other cases were deleted as these did not fall in the category of enforced disappearance.
Besides, five cases were deleted due to other reasons and a total of 228 cases were pending with the Commission. Additional Attorney General (AAG) KK Agha informed the court that 11 more missing persons were traced recently. These included Ghulam Mustafa, Abdul Hafeez, Muhammad Awais, Habibur ehman, Muhammad Zubair, Zafar Iqbal, Muhammad Yaqoob, Hafiz Asif Raza, Mahmoodul Hassan, Maulana Ghulamud Din and Usman Gul.
He said that FIRs of all cases missing persons were lodged. Besides, the process to complete the composition of Commission on Enforced Disappearance was in the process after its chairman was inducted as member of the Election Commission of Pakistan. In reply to a request by Amna Masood Janjua, chairperson of Defence of Human Rights, about telephonic contacts with the detained people, Justice Javed Iqbal said the court could not issue a directive over such matter.
He remarked that they could not issue a directive to the Parliament to legislate over the issue as it was outside their jurisdiction. However, he told her that she should approach elected representatives to make a similar request. Expressing dissatisfaction over the progress report, Justice Javed Iqbal said no person or agency could arrest anyone except under the law.
Ikram Chaudhry, counsel for petitioners said that foreign missions abroad were not co-operating with the detained expatriates. Justice Javed Iqbal said that they should not sit idle in their decorated offices but it was their prime duty to extend possible co-operation to their countrymen. "Whenever a foreigner was arrested, a huge hue and cry was made," he said, adding, "why foreign missions adopt an apologetic approach in taking up the issue of detained expatriates?" The hearing was adjourned for two weeks.