ISLAMABAD, Sep 9(ABC): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) provided the federal government with two months for taking measures to ensure that missing persons are recovered.
“No official has done their job […] we will hold everyone responsible if another missing persons case is filed in this court,” IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah said while hearing a case of missing persons, including journalist Mudassar Naro.
The IHC had in May directed the federal government to serve notices to ex-president Pervaiz Musharraf and all other successors — the former prime ministers, including the incumbent holder of the office — in cases of missing persons.
IHC CJ had issued 15-page order in a case relating to the disappearance of journalist Naro and five other people after their petitions were fixed for final arguments, but the federal government requested an adjournment in May.
The IHC directed the government to ensure that the missing persons are recovered by June 17, however, since then the authorities have been seeking adjournments, citing various reasons.
In July, the IHC had warned that if the missing persons were not recovered, it would summon the incumbent chief executive — PM Shehbaz Sharif.
During today’s hearing, the court not only summoned the prime minister, but Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar also appeared before the IHC.
The law minister requested more time and sought at least two months to resolve the issue after which the IHC CJ Minallah adjourned the hearing till November 14.
Today’s hearing
At the outset of the hearing, IHC CJ Minallah told PM Shehbaz that the court has troubled him as the case is about a major issue.
The IHC chief justice remarked that the state is not responding as per its responsibility.
“A chief executive ruled this country for nine years. He proudly wrote in his book that he sold his people abroad,” IHC CJ Minallah said. It seems like it was probably the “state’s policy”, he said.
“The court considered it appropriate to tell you [premier] what the issue actually is.The commission was formed to address the issue of missing persons but the proceedings were hurtful,” the IHC chief justice said.
He said that the things Amina Masood Janjua told about the commission’s conduct are extremely painful and intolerable.
IHC CJ Minallah expressed annoyance that no work was done despite continuous assurances and the formation of committees by the authorities.
“There are detention centres from where people have been recovered but no action was taken,” he said.
He said that the state is responsible for redressing the sufferings of missing persons’ [families].
“The state is not helpless. It is the state’s responsibility if someone goes missing. Disappearing citizens is equal to breaching the Constitution,” the IHC CJ said.
He said that the chief executive of the province or the Centre, wherever a person goes missing from, is responsible.