The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the interior secretary to process payment of dues to the family of a missing person. A bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah directed the interior secretary to appear in person if the process is not carried out until the next hearing.
During the hearing on Wednesday, the petitioner’s lawyer Inamur Rahim submitted an affidavit on behalf of Imran Khan’s family and told the missing person was earning Rs140,000 monthly at the time of his disappearance.
The court remarked that it could not find anybody on its own and it’s the failure of the state if it fails to find a missing person. At this, Additional Attorney General (AAG) Qasim Wudood sought two weeks period from the court to devise a mechanism.
Minallah remarked that it was visible that the state failed to fulfil its responsibility. He further questioned whether the state can protect its citizens.
Read SHC grills interior secretary over missing persons
Meanwhile, the petitioner's lawyer maintained that the Missing Persons Commission reported 145 cases only in May this year. The chief justice said that the state should at least bear the expenses of a missing person’s family until his return.
The affidavit submitted by the petitioner said that his son, who has been missing since May of 2015, was the breadwinner of the family.
The court said that it gave enough time to trace the applicant's son and directed the interior secretary to process the due payment for the victim’s family.
It further directed the interior secretary to appear before the court if the process is not completed. The court adjourned the hearing of the case for a month.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 1st, 2021.
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