Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif Appeared in the Islamabad High Court on Friday and assured the Chief Justice of all possible efforts for the recovery of the missing persons allegedly picked up by security agencies on suspicion of being involved in anti-state activities.
The court had asked the Pakistan PM to take the case of forced disappearances to Parliament and make it a law, as “India and other countries” have done.
Last July, Chief Justice Athar minallah He had warned that he would summon the current chief executive Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif if the missing people were not recovered.
As soon as Sharif appeared before the court, Justice Minallah told him that he had been called because the matter was huge. The judge recalled that the court had referred the missing persons case to the federal cabinet several times, but the cabinet’s response was “not what it should have been”.
Referring to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, he said, “A chief executive ruled this country for nine years. He proudly wrote in his book that we sold our people to foreign countries. The court emphasized that there should not be an impression that law enforcement agencies are picking up citizens.
Addressing the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice remarked, “You are the Prime Minister and the national security of this country is in your hands. This court trusts you. Tell us any solution to this issue.” He directed Sharif to take the matter to Parliament and enact a law on him. “India and other countries did the same,” he said.
PM Shahbaz Sharif replied that it is his duty to resolve the issue. The PM told the court, “I cannot say that all the missing people will be recovered, but we will leave no stone unturned in this matter.”
Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, who was summoned by the court along with PM and Home Minister Rana Sanaullah, sought eight to 10 weeks from the court to bring reforms in the criminal justice system. The court later granted more time to the government and adjourned the hearing till November 14.
Forced disappearances are an ongoing problem across Pakistan. Human rights activists and observers claim that law enforcement agencies, particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), are responsible for the forced disappearances in Pakistan. Security agencies, however, deny such claims and insist that many of the missing have either joined terrorist organizations such as Pakistani Taliban, Law enforcement agencies also argue that many were killed on their way to Europe as illegal immigrants.
The Commission for Missing Persons disclosed that it had received over 8,463 complaints of forced disappearances since its inception in March 2011. According to the commission’s monthly report, it had received 76 missing persons complaints last March alone.
The court had asked the Pakistan PM to take the case of forced disappearances to Parliament and make it a law, as “India and other countries” have done.
Last July, Chief Justice Athar minallah He had warned that he would summon the current chief executive Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif if the missing people were not recovered.
As soon as Sharif appeared before the court, Justice Minallah told him that he had been called because the matter was huge. The judge recalled that the court had referred the missing persons case to the federal cabinet several times, but the cabinet’s response was “not what it should have been”.
Referring to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, he said, “A chief executive ruled this country for nine years. He proudly wrote in his book that we sold our people to foreign countries. The court emphasized that there should not be an impression that law enforcement agencies are picking up citizens.
Addressing the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice remarked, “You are the Prime Minister and the national security of this country is in your hands. This court trusts you. Tell us any solution to this issue.” He directed Sharif to take the matter to Parliament and enact a law on him. “India and other countries did the same,” he said.
PM Shahbaz Sharif replied that it is his duty to resolve the issue. The PM told the court, “I cannot say that all the missing people will be recovered, but we will leave no stone unturned in this matter.”
Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, who was summoned by the court along with PM and Home Minister Rana Sanaullah, sought eight to 10 weeks from the court to bring reforms in the criminal justice system. The court later granted more time to the government and adjourned the hearing till November 14.
Forced disappearances are an ongoing problem across Pakistan. Human rights activists and observers claim that law enforcement agencies, particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), are responsible for the forced disappearances in Pakistan. Security agencies, however, deny such claims and insist that many of the missing have either joined terrorist organizations such as Pakistani Taliban, Law enforcement agencies also argue that many were killed on their way to Europe as illegal immigrants.
The Commission for Missing Persons disclosed that it had received over 8,463 complaints of forced disappearances since its inception in March 2011. According to the commission’s monthly report, it had received 76 missing persons complaints last March alone.