10th of its kind: NA speaker forms special committee on missing persons

PML-N had submitted resolution which was unanimously approved by the house.

ISLAMABAD: Two months after the unanimous approval of a resolution on missing persons by the National Assembly, National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza on Monday constituted a special committee on missing persons.

“The Speaker has constituted the special committee in pursuance of the resolution adopted by the National Assembly on 14th March, 2012. The special committee has been mandated to investigate the issue of missing persons,” said a statement issued by NA secretariat.

The special committee on missing persons, as envisaged in the resolution, will submit its recommendations after meeting representatives of the families of missing persons, victims of terrorism and a briefing by intelligence and security agencies within two months.

The committee members include Abdul Qadir Patel (PPP), Dr Attiya Inayatullah (PML-Q), Sajid Ahmed (MQM), Himayatullah Mayar (ANP), Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch (PML-N), Engineer Khurram Dastagir Khan (PML-N), Naseer Bhutta (PML-N) and Maulana Attaur Rehman (JUI-F).

The opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had submitted the resolution two months ago, demanding a ‘comprehensive framework law’ to regulate the role and functioning of intelligence and security agencies.

“… grave allegations of acts and omissions, complicity and concealment are being raised against state agencies which are tarnishing their image and reputation at home and abroad, notwithstanding their immense contribution and tremendous sacrifices in the defence and security of Pakistan,” the resolution submitted by PML-N said.

It will be the National Assembly’s 10th special committee, constituted for a particular task. In addition to the special committees, there are 42 standing committees of the National Assembly.

In August 2011, the lower house had set up a special committee on the law and order situation in Karachi(Sindh) and Quetta(Balochistan), headed by Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khursheed Shah, but the committee failed to even assemble after some initial preliminary meetings. The special committee was mandated to look into the law and order situation and report back to the house with recommendations within two months.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2012.

nfe;�e ����ctor General Police (IGP) Balochistan and FC IG assured the court that they realised their duties and they would ensure the recovery of missing persons before May 21 -- the next date of hearing. The court asked both top officers to make joint efforts for the recovery of missing persons.

 

“Mr General, keep in mind your briefing about other cases of law and order and missing persons when this bench convenes in Quetta on May 21 to hear this case.”

General Khattak gave assurances of progress to the court and said that it had become the ‘common objective’ of the courts and law enforcement agencies to stabilise the situation in the province.

Balochistan DIG Hamid Shakeel reiterated his earlier statement before the court that traffic police officials had witnessed FC personnel abduct Mehran Khan, son of Murad Khan, in broad daylight.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2012.