Compensating victims: Missing persons’ families to get monthly allowance
Supreme Court demands progress report on chronic cases.
ISLAMABAD:
The government is considering a plan to give a monthly allowance of Rs60,000 as compensation to families of persons who have been missing for the past seven years, Additional Attorney General KK Agha informed the Supreme Court on Thursday.
He stated that a committee constituted by the interior ministry will examine the cases of missing persons.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik had informed the court that compensation would be paid to families whose relatives have been missing for seven years, since they may be considered dead.
Justice Javed Iqbal observed that the compensation amount was insufficient and he would consult the finance secretary keeping in view the current economic crisis.
He suggested channeling funds from Baitul Mal and allied departments.
Agha submitted that compensation had already been given to the heirs of victims of target killing in Balochistan. He said the government will submit the final report on missing persons in June.
The bench directed the government to present a progress report on chronic cases of missing persons and observed that the progress of intelligence agencies in tracing missing persons is now satisfactory.
The relatives of a majority of missing persons have accused intelligence officials of picking up their relatives.
The apex court had warned the agencies of stern action for not complying with its directives and observed they were not above the law. Several officials have been called in to answer questions about their involvement in the case.
The bench hearing the missing persons’ case, headed by Justice Javed Iqbal, had asked the police and security agencies to register cases against missing persons if they were terrorists or otherwise involved in serious crime or face arrest.
The bench directed Agha to submit a reply on Friday on the failure of the capital police to register the cases of two missing persons.
The court also grilled an official of the Intelligence Bureau for exercising his influence to free a relative who was involved in the abduction of a woman. The case was adjourned for two weeks.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2011.
The government is considering a plan to give a monthly allowance of Rs60,000 as compensation to families of persons who have been missing for the past seven years, Additional Attorney General KK Agha informed the Supreme Court on Thursday.
He stated that a committee constituted by the interior ministry will examine the cases of missing persons.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik had informed the court that compensation would be paid to families whose relatives have been missing for seven years, since they may be considered dead.
Justice Javed Iqbal observed that the compensation amount was insufficient and he would consult the finance secretary keeping in view the current economic crisis.
He suggested channeling funds from Baitul Mal and allied departments.
Agha submitted that compensation had already been given to the heirs of victims of target killing in Balochistan. He said the government will submit the final report on missing persons in June.
The bench directed the government to present a progress report on chronic cases of missing persons and observed that the progress of intelligence agencies in tracing missing persons is now satisfactory.
The relatives of a majority of missing persons have accused intelligence officials of picking up their relatives.
The apex court had warned the agencies of stern action for not complying with its directives and observed they were not above the law. Several officials have been called in to answer questions about their involvement in the case.
The bench hearing the missing persons’ case, headed by Justice Javed Iqbal, had asked the police and security agencies to register cases against missing persons if they were terrorists or otherwise involved in serious crime or face arrest.
The bench directed Agha to submit a reply on Friday on the failure of the capital police to register the cases of two missing persons.
The court also grilled an official of the Intelligence Bureau for exercising his influence to free a relative who was involved in the abduction of a woman. The case was adjourned for two weeks.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2011.