Missing persons: Justice Javed Iqbal to head commission
Iqbal, who retired from the Supreme Court in July, was hearing the missing persons’ case while in service and had succeeded in getting intelligence agencies to answer questions about the people in their custody. Following his retirement, the aggrieved families were apprehensive that his successor may not take up their cases with as much interest.
Agha also said that a committee has been formed to pay compensation to missing persons’ families in line with the apex court’s directives. The bench hearing the missing persons’ case referred 252 cases to the judicial commission for missing persons and directed the government to ensure that compensation is paid to heirs within a week. Agha was also directed to inform the court in case problems arose in the payment of compensation. The court also ordered Agha to submit details of nine chronic cases of missing persons within a week.
Meanwhile, Amina Masood Janjua, whose husband Masood Janjua is among the missing persons, said that heirs, including herself, were ready to pardon those involved in the abduction of their relatives to resolve the issue. She was referring to intelligence agencies which have allegedly picked up most of those classified as missing persons.
“You may pardon them but the court will not if they are found guilty of abducting people,” Justice Jawad S Khawaja said.
Justice Khawaja expressed dissatisfaction over the progress made so far in investigations into enforced disappearances.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2011.
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