Enforced disappearances: Sindh High Court asks for verification of 107 missing men

Court suspects the missing people may be held at any of the 10 internment centres in K-P, FATA.

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Home and Tribal Affairs Department has been making considerable efforts to satisfy the courts on the issue of enforced disappearances, as people seek the court’s help in recovering their family members.

This has been an urgent issue for the department as a number of the missing men – considered to be alleged militants or facilitators of militant activities – were either recovered or at the very least identified at different internment centres in K-P.

“We have been complying with court orders, but we are going to face a tough time in the future as the Sindh High Court (SHC) has also sought our reply on the issue,” said a high-ranking official from the home department on Friday.

Requesting anonymity, the official told The Express Tribune a list issued by the SHC with the names of 107 missing people had been received by the home department last month. The department has not only been asked to submit a reply regarding this list, it has also been directed to search for the missing men.

The official explained over 10 internment centres were being run in K-P and the tribal areas; “The SHC suspects the missing men could be interned at these locations.” Which is why the K-P Home and Tribal Affairs Department has been asked to submit a reply with respect to the list, and will now verify the list with the centres, clarified the official.

“Yes, of course security agencies are being charged for allegedly picking up people and keeping them in illegal custody. We have been asked to search for these men,” said the official. “Ground checks have now been initiated.”

The home department official further said 10 to 15 persons have been identified whereas ground checks on the rest were under way.

“We have sent the list (of missing people) to different internment centres where authorities will tally the names with those detained,” but, he added, the process would take time.

The Peshawar High Court has also been dealing with the issue, which surfaced late 2011. It was noted the K-P home department had been mentioned in all habeas corpus petitions filed on the subject.

Meanwhile, in addition to the 1,200 identified earlier, 45 more missing men were identified on May 29. Of these, 15 were set free, 26 were sent to Kohat Internment Centre, and four were transferred to the custody of the political administration and provincial police in order to stand trial against charges.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2013.