IHC seeks AGP’s help in missing journalist’s case

Directs commission on missing persons to submit detailed report until Feb 28

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has sought Attorney General for Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan’s help in the case of missing journalist Mudassar Naro, directing the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances to submit a detailed report on the missing persons’ cases and its TORs.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Monday heard the missing persons’ case.

At the outset of the hearing, Additional Attorney General Qasim Wadood apprised the court that there were 8,000 cases of missing persons of which 6,000 cases were resolved.

“Some of them returned on their own, some were in jails, and some were released from detention centres,” AAG Wadood said.

Chief Justice Minallah remarked that if the missing persons were in detention centres then there was a policy to pick up the citizens.

"Is there any law to pick up citizens like this?

“Protection is given by the state, if there is any suspicion of involvement of the state then who will investigate?”

The CJ asked, “What happened in the incidents of disappearances of citizens last year.

“The court is asking the question, who is responsible for all these incidents?

“It should be determined.”

Col (retd) Inamur Rahim Advocate said that it has been reported that dead bodies of 221 missing persons have been provided.

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“The task of the commission was to investigate these incidents. How can the dead bodies be handed over?”

The CJ said that only the court can give a verdict. “This court will give a verdict in the missing persons’ cases.”

The AAG said that a summary had been moved for Tuesday's cabinet meeting in the light of Mahera Sajid case. Mahera Sajid, wife of Engineer Sajid Mahmood, has been running from pillar to post for the recovery of her husband, who went missing in 2016.

The court adjourned the hearing until February 28.

On the other hand, Sachal, the son of missing journalist Naro, turned four. He cut his birthday cake in the Islamabad High Court after the hearing with the advocate and his grandparents.

Mudassar Naro has been missing since August 20, 2018 and his recovery case is pending in the High Court.

Mudassar Naro's parents and son Sachal have also met Prime Minister Imran Khan in the presence of the attorney general on court order.

After the birthday, Sachal prayed that he would soon meet his father.