ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Saturday issued a written order regarding hearing on cases pertaining to the missing persons.
The five-page order was authored by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Fae Isa. It stated, “The Federal government is directed to submit an undertaking in writing, signed by senior most officers of the concerned ministries that henceforth no one shall be picked up other than in accordance with the law.”
t said, “Mrs. Amna Masood Janjua states that she is not satisfied with the working of the Commission of Enquiry on Enforced Disappearance. The other petitioners too have expressed reservations about the effectiveness of the Commission.”
The order said, “Mr. Khalid Naseem, the Registrar of the Commission, states that the Commission has done considerable work and due to its efforts a number of persons have been recovered/ returned home.”
The court said, “The Registrar has raised objections on the maintainability of petition filed by Aitzaz Ahsan, a Senior Advocate. The petition also attends to matter of missing persons, but also refers to a few politically aligned persons who are stated to have been picked up and have since returned home. Those persons who have returned cannot be categorized as missing persons, the court said, adding that we restrict the scope of this petition to missing persons. The office is directed to number the petition.” The court also directed the commission to collect and submit the details pertaining to the missing persons including their names, addresses and other information. The order said that the court has also appointed Mr. Faisal Siddiqi, as amicus curiae.