ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that a judicial commission was being constituted to locate missing citizens in the country.
Appearing on notice, Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan told a three-member bench that a summary for the establishment of the commission had already been sent to him. The APP news agency quoted him as saying that the commission would be headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Curt Court and include two retired high court judges and provincial representatives.
The bench of Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Muhammad Sair Ali and Justice Tariq Parvez was hearing petitions filed by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar and families of the missing citizens. The Interior Ministry has already filed a report
with the court saying 965 people have gone missing in the country.
Justice Sair Ali said the SC would monitor and supervise the commission. He also urged certain people from Balochistan not to exaggerate the number of missing persons.
Amna Masood of the Defence for Human Rights asked the court to direct parliament over the formation of a commission, but the court rejected the request. Justice Javed Iqbal said, “Parliament is supreme and no one can hold it accountable.”
The bench on Thursday also summoned the Islamabad chief commissioner and the IG on April 5, and directed them to file a report on the number of casualties and people missing since the Lal Masjid operation of 2007.
Deputy Attorney General Shah Khawar told the court that a taskforce had been formed to look into the disappearances in Islamabad. An official also told the court that according to reports, only eight people went missing during the Lal Masjid operation. The court, however, said it had received a list of 20 people who went missing during the Lal Masjid operation.
The court also expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s progress in locating missing citizens and directed a joint investigation team (JIT) to expedite efforts.
An army officer also tendered an unconditional apology for threatening a lawyer with dire consequences. Hashmat Habib, representing Dr Aafia Siddiqui, had told the bench that Lt Col Sarfaraz Khan warned him outside the courtroom against naming the Pakistan Army.
The court summoned the army officer and asked him if he had threatened the lawyer. The court then took a break and reassembled after 10 minutes. Defence Ministry Director (Legal) Lt Col Sarfaraz Khan then tendered an unconditional apology.
Earlier, Hasmat Habib asked the court to direct the federal government to compile a report in chronological order on the details of Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s disappearance and subsequent developments.
The judges observed they were hearing cases of missing citizens, and Dr Aafia was no longer missing. They said the Pakistani government had provided great support to Dr Aafia and was dealing with the matter effectively. The hearing was later adjourned until April 5.
Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\03\19\story_19-3-2010_pg1_1
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