SC seeks progress report on missing persons
09 February, 2012
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a comprehensive progress report on missing persons from the commission probing the case.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, ordered the Pakistan Baitul Maal to submit a report regarding the compensation, which would be paid to the heirs of the missing persons.
During the proceedings, Defence of Human Rights Chairwoman Amina Masood Janjua complained against the inquiry commission probing the cases.
She stated that the court had referred the chronic cases to the commission in October 2011, but the body had not taken up the matter so far.
Amina said that the heirs of the missing persons, who belonged to Balochistan, had already expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the commission.
She also informed that according to the commission's statement, eight more disappeared persons had died. She requested the court to order the inquiry commission to probe the circumstances in which those missing persons died.
Responding to her complain against the commission, Standing Council Raja Muhammad Yaseen said inquiry commission's head Justice (r) Javed Iqbal was also leading the Abbottabad commission, which caused some delay in the missing persons' cases.
The learned counsel stated that 273 of the 445 cases were pending. On this, Justice Jawwad remarked that the commission should accelerate its proceedings and announce a schedule regarding the hearing of cases so that the families of disappeared persons could know when their matters would be taken up.
Raja Yaseen ensured the bench that schedule regarding the chronic cases would be displayed today (Thursday).
Meanwhile, Amina Masood, submitting a copy of the ordinance of Action in Aid of Civil Power 2011, said that security forces had constructed internment centres though that ordinance. She alleged that most of the disappeared persons were detained in such internment centres.
She further mentioned that a report had already been submitted in the Peshawar High Court regarding missing persons, therefore, the court should seek that report as well.
Upon this, the court directed the deputy attorney general to submit that report, and give a copy to Amina Masood.
Amina also stated that she had some secret information regarding the detention of her husband, which she wanted to share with the bench in the chamber, but the court asked her to submit the secret information in writing.
Tariq Khursheed, counsel for Pakistan Baitul Maal, informed the court that the department could pay Rs 60,000 as compensation to each family of the disappeared persons.
The court asked him to furnish the rules and regulations regarding the compensation, but he could not present them and sought some time. The court then directed the Ministry of Human Rights and Pakistan Baitul Maal to submit the rules and regulations for the payment.
Earlier, Attorney General of Pakistan Maulvi Anwarul Haq submitted the inquiry commission's report, but the court ordered the commission to submit a compressive report, and adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period.
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