ISLAMABAD, Oct 10: Chairperson of Defense of Human Rights (DHR) Campaign for the Missing Persons of Pakistan Amina Masood Janjua in a letter to the leader of Pakistan Muslim League (N), Mian Nawaz Sharif reminded him of his promises he had made to the mothers, daughters, wives and sisters of the missing persons.
“They are still suffering, longing for their loved-ones and desperately need your help, please do not forget them in the hour of need, let Pakistan be the first to eliminate enforced disappearances forever and contribute, peace to the world of tomorrow”, she wrote.
Mrs. Masood Janjua said recently, during her month-long tour of Europe on invitation of Amnesty International she raised the missing persons issue with top leaders of Europe human rights desks and foreign offices of UK, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Germany.
She said “Since there is no room for enforced disappearance in any Law of the world all those local and foreign agencies involved in illegal abductions, detentions, tortures and atrocities, must be made accountable and brought under rule of law, especially in Pakistan and more so in Punjab which is the stronghold of PML (N).”
Those suffering abroad like Dr. Afia and Saif Ullah Paracha should be brought back safely and honorably, she pointed out.
She called upon the federal and Punjab governments to make legislation in the National and Provincial assemblies to hold accountable the perpetrators of extra-judicial and kidnappings irrespective of whether it is army, police, agency or any private party.
It should be made sure that families of the enforced disappeared persons are regularly informed of the steps taken by the government to trace their loved-ones. She appealed to government to take care of families of the missing persons particularly the education of their children.
Government should declare the status of these persons in clear terms like missing, dead or traced, so that financial and psychological agonies of the family members can be over.
The law should be framed in order to allow next of kin to make use of property and money invested/deposited in banks, etc., besides protecting rights of the children, parents and wives.
She stressed the need for implementation in letter and spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to which Pakistan is a signatory.
Those who have suffered and are now released but their health, living standards and business had been ruined due to enforced disappearance need to be compensated, treated on the government expense.