SHC dismayed over years of 'zero results' in missing persons cases

High court issues arrest warrants for investigating officer over absence from proceedings

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) expressed displeasure on Friday over the lack of progress in years-old missing person cases as a two-member bench, led by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, heard multiple missing persons pleas.

The bench expressed concern over the non-recovery of Pathan Khan Zahrani, missing from Steel Town for the past five years.

The court also issued an arrest warrant for the investigating officer for his absence from the court hearing and ordered the senior superintendent of police (SSP) to submit a report.

There was no doubt that provincial task forces and joint investigation teams (JIT) were convening meetings, but there have been "zero results" in most cases, the bench maintained.

"The court is deeply concerned about the non-recovery of missing citizens," Justice Phulpoto remarked while emphasizing the urgency of timely action and addressing the grievances of the families.

Read 3,485 people went ‘missing’ from K-P

The court questioned why serious steps were not being taken.

Regarding the recovery of missing persons Bilal, Musa, and others, the bench demanded the federal and provincial governments, including other relevant departments, submit reports.

The court then adjourned the hearing until August 13.

Last month, on April 23, the federal government announced that it had decided to reconstitute the cabinet committee on missing persons which would also have parliamentary representation.

Earlier this year, on January 2, the country’s top judge acknowledged the severity of the missing persons' issue and expressed optimism about the Supreme Court's (SC) ability to find a lasting solution.

“Pakistan belongs to all of us, and we must collectively address these concerns. Blaming each other is futile; that approach has been exhausted. We aim to conclusively resolve the missing persons' problem,” the court observed.