The Cabinet Committee on Enforced Disappearances revealed new findings regarding missing persons. During a meeting chaired by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, it was disclosed that several cases reviewed by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CoIED) were fake. Many of these individuals, including some linked to Baloch nationalists, were proclaimed offenders who had fled the country to avoid legal proceedings.
According to a spokesperson for the law ministry, the committee granted itself more powers. These included reviewing the inquiry commission’s steps and progress. The session also demanded the latest statistics and facts about the reviewed cases. Discrepancies were noted between figures reported by the CoIED, human rights organizations, and civil society groups.
The government also addressed financial support for families of missing individuals. A package of up to Rs5 million will assist families whose loved ones have been missing for over five years. However, the aid requires verification of legal heirs by Nadra. A comprehensive report with verified facts and figures was sought from the commission to streamline the assistance process.
The law ministry emphasized speeding up financial support for affected families. A statement after the meeting reiterated the government’s commitment to resolving issues of missing persons, including countering fake claims often linked to Baloch nationalist narratives.
Last August, the government announced the same Rs5 million package for heirs of missing individuals. The cabinet approved this initiative, following recommendations from previous committees on the issue. Law Minister Tarar affirmed that the government remains dedicated to using all resources to address these cases.
Earlier, Tarar stated that only 23% of missing persons’ cases were still unresolved. He shared that out of 10,200 registered cases, nearly 8,000 had been addressed. The cabinet committee is now focused on genuine cases while exposing false claims made by certain groups, including Baloch nationalists.
