PESHAWAR: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that the government has completely failed to recover ‘missing persons’, saying the people have also lost confidence in the state.
While hearing a case relating to a missing journalist, the chief justice remarked that people are being picked “under a policy”. However, the Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Javed Khan said that the state is not following such a policy. The Attorney General informed the court that despite all efforts, the authorities were unable to recover the missing journalist.
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The father of missing journalist told the court that both of his sons were students of the International Islamic University who were picked up in 2016 by unknown persons. He said that one his son was student of LLB while his other son was studying journalism and Mass Communication. He informed that Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances has said in its finding that it was a case of enforced disappearances.
The chief justice remarked that the job of the commission has reduced only registering FIRs. The justice added that two youth were picked up in the broad daylight but the Attorney General is saying that the government has no information about their whereabouts. The chief justice furthered that people are on the streets against enforced disappearances. The Attorney General informed that a new law is being brought on mission persons, the Chief Justice remarked that the families of the missing persons are wailing to see their loved ones. The justice maintained their only the state is accountable for it.
The attorney for the petitioner Col (retd) Inam-ur-Rehman said that there were 8279 cases of missing persons. The lawyer complained that state institutions have completely failed to recover the missing persons and provide justice to the families.