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'Matter of missing persons politicised,' chief of missing persons commission says
The chairman of the Missing Persons Commission, retired justice Javed Iqbal, said on Tuesday that the issue of missing persons "has always been politicised" and that the situation is "not as bad as it is made to sound".
While briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, Iqbal briefed lawmakers that from at least 5,000 complaints received by the commission, the commission has dealt with around 3,800.
Saying that the matter of missing persons has "always been politicised", Justice Iqbal said that Mama Qadeer — Leader of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) — had claimed that 40,000 people are missing, "and yet, to this day, we do not have any details regarding those cases".
The retired judge also claimed that no government in the past 15 years made an effort for the recovery of missing persons.
"In Balochistan, there are merely 131 cases regarding missing persons being heard," Justice Iqbal said, adding that, in a number of instances, the commission had found that people are picked up by rival tribes due to personal enmity.
He also mentioned that after an inquiry was made, at least eight people who were said to be missing from Balochistan were found to be "happily running their businesses in Parachinar".
He added: "When Bramdagh Bughti, Herbyar Marri and Khairbux Marri left the country, they took hundreds of men with them. To date we haven't even been able to find out how many of our people are jailed in neighbouring countries."
Justice Iqbal claimed that there are also a number of people from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa who are jailed in Paktia and Nangarhar in Afghanistan.
"When a country has the beggar's bowl in one hand, its neighbours tend to interfere in internal matters. We can't even ask them how many of our people are jailed there. When we asked, we found out that even the Afghan government has no control over these prisons."
Moving on to Sindh, the head of the commission said that out of 1,357 cases received from the province, the commission had taken care of 1,174 and 183 remain open.
"A majority of the cases in Sindh involve workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)," Justice Iqbal told lawmakers, informing them that Justice Ghous Muhammad was overseeing cases pertaining to Sindh.
Criticising the parliament's lack of initiative in the matter, Justice Iqbal said: "The job of parliamentarians is not to tie black bands around their arms; it is to bring legislation to safeguard the rights of citizens. They have still not made any laws [to facilitate recovery of missing persons]."
Upon this, Senator Usman Kakar took a line from Iqbal's defence and retorted saying that the relevant information regarding the matter never reached the members of the assembly.
Comments (24) Closed
May be the contention the chief right as he has presented the case in Senate with full preparation.
Justice Iqbal is a man of wisdom and integrity. Glad that he is handling any given task professionally. Keep him around.
Even a single missing person in a democratic country where fundamental rights are guaranteed in the constitution is a failure of judicial system. I am amazed to read this statement from a former SC judge and the chief of missing persons commission.
So much but still too little. We are a perennially thankless nation.
Because now he is chairman of NAB?
The audacity of the chairman sb is amazing
Mama Qadeer owes the nation an explanation, or an apology right away
Even if only one person is missing, why is he missing and if he is in custody of any law enforcement agency, why don't they report the same to the relevant authorities? That must be the criterion for anyone missing. The authorities concerned could remove the fears from the minds of the people if they strictly adhere to the laws of the land. If they have to pick someone, they should have a warrant issued by the proper authority and must visit his place of residence or working during day time. They must also tell his family members about the same and do everything according to the laws.
How is it 'taken care of' if the missing person is not returned or presented in court? Or does he mean that he has verified that agencies have the missing people? Then why not order them presented in court or released?
I issue of missing person should not be politicized what else should be, my dear chief? Is it less important issue or politics should be based on issues at all?
@M. Saeed What is your source of information. Distrust has become a tool for hostile agencies to incite hate in Pakistan. Everyone is trying to use issues to their political agenda.
This is actually a matter of "Jurisdiction" - A no go area
In a country where the Rule of Law prevails, one missing person is too many.
Retired justice Javed Iqbal failed in each position, may it be Abbotabad Commision, Missing Persons Commission and now NAB!
Situation may not be bad as Justice Iqbal says but unfortunately he showed his partiality by criticising the Parlimentarians and by doing this he himself cast a shadow over his report.
one missing person is one too many
It's good to put actual figures around the issue of missing persons. It is an important matter and must not be politicized by any side.
Mr. Justice Javed Iqbal,
What politicised?
The families want to know where they are.
Which agencies have kidnapped them and what
are the reason?
To this simple question you can give simple
answer.
That's why you are the NAB Chairman now because you couldn't see any missing persons
We the public has complete trust and confidence in our NAB and justice Iqbal. Let him do his job and hold your criticism.
Obviously...our politicians politicise everything for their personal gains no matter how much it damages Pakistan....
So he is telling us that there are no forced disappearance in the land of Pure. This guy has been on this job for many years but all he can tell us that everyone left on their free will and our Agencies have not picked up anyone. What has he done for MQM missing person? Has anyone brought to the court?
Justice Iqbal .... please wake up......open your eyes.
@Ardhad ,Canada
Mr. Ardhad, Canada,
You have raised valid point.