No overnight solution to missing persons issue: Law Minister Tarar

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Tuesday that the issue of missing persons could “not be solved overnight” but the government was committed to finding a solution by first achieving a consensus amongst all stakeholders.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, the law minister said the issue — which he said dates back four decades — could “not be solved overnight in haste or due to someone’s anxiety or someone speaking on social media platforms or even court directives”.

The law minister emphasised that when discussing the issue of missing persons, it must be noted that Pakistan had performed the role of a frontline state in a war-ridden area for the past four decades, adding that the circumstances in neighbouring countries had further exacerbated internal challenges.

Azam noted that the people and army of Pakistan had paid an “unbelievable price” in the fight against terrorism with their sacrifices, adding that the same must be taken into consideration when finding a solution to the issue of missing persons.

The law minister noted that work towards solving the issuing of missing persons began under the PPP government in 2011 when the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances was formed. Following that, the Supreme Court took notice of the matter and formed a commission.

Around 10,200 cases were sent to the commission, from which 7,900 cases have been solved while 23 per cent of the cases remain to be solved, Azam noted.

He said that during the tenure of the previous PML-N-led coalition government, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed a committee alongside representatives of other coalition parties. The committee met with various stakeholders during their visit to Quetta, the law minister said, recalling that he had asked for a report about missing persons.

Azam added that under the current tenure of Shehbaz, directives were issued to restart work on the inquiry of enforced disappearances, with the prime minister ordering that the committee be reconstituted. He noted that there will also be a “parliamentary presence” in the committee.