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ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday said that the responsibility for the disappearance of citizens in Pakistan rested on the prime minister and the cabinet.
During the hearing of a case concerning the disappearance of journalist Mudassar Naaru, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that it was the responsibility of the state to protect the lives of citizens.
Federal Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari also appeared before the IHC bench. Addressing Mazari, Justice Minallah said that the state showed no concern for the recovery of the missing journalist.
He added that the families of the missing persons were protesting on roads for years, but the apathy of the state in this matter was unfortunate.
It is said that the state acts as a mother so it should reflect the same then, he added. “Like a mother, the state should treat the family of the missing person,” he said, adding that it was the responsibility of the state to satisfy the child and parents of the missing person.
Mazari apprised the bench that she was in touch with various authorities for the recovery of Naaru and they have been asked to look into this matter.
She added Prime Minister Imran Khan along with Amna Janjua, the human rights activist, had protested against enforced disappearances in the past. The minister said the government was working on compensation for the family of the missing person on a monthly basis.
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The minister added that the affidavit had not been received yet, according to which the payment needed to be processed. “The PM will definitely listen to Naaru’s family, but first we want to process the payment of expenses for them which will be done by next week,” said Mazari.
She added that the government considered enforced disappearances a serious crime and nobody was allowed to indulge in this heinous practice.
The IHC CJ said that there could be a law that would penalise the chief executive in case someone went missing during their tenure.
“If someone went missing in 2002 then why not impose fines on those responsible then, the then chief executive,” he said, adding that someone should be held responsible for the practice of enforced disappearances.
“Half of our lives have been spent in undemocratic regimes and this is their doing,” he added. At present, everyone, including the police and ministries, has gotten a free hand,” he said, adding that he was also talking about the state and the non-state actors.
Justice Minallah said all agencies were in the control of the federal government and it was the government’s job to satisfy the family. “It doesn’t matter if allegations [against the state] are true or false, the family has been going door-to-door for three years now and this should stop right away.”
Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that they should be taken to the Prime Minister and a meeting with the cabinet members be arranged.
He said that the PM and the cabinet members should pay the compensation to the missing person’s family instead of the state so that the issue could be concluded once and for all.
The court ordered the government to satisfy Mudassar Naaru’s family by the next hearing and directed Mazari to submit a reply at the next hearing on December 13.