ISLAMABAD: Hostile elements are constantly propagating the issue of missing persons and enforced disappearance especially in Pakistan’s Balochistan province with fake and distorted data.
Erroneous figures of missing persons and enforced disappearance are being quoted by the activists for vested interests where, large number of people have disappeared due to human trafficking, criminal activities and domestic issues.
As per Commission of Inquiry of Enforced Disappearance website, in February 2023, 8698 cases pertaining to missing persons and enforced disappearances are registered with the Commission.
Out of these cases around 15% (1500 individuals) cases are of those individuals who have either ran away from homes, left homes due to personal enmity, kidnapped, mental disorder cases, gone abroad for work or are absconders.
Akhtar Mengal, Chairman of Balochistan National Party (Mengal) at times quoted that more than 5000 individuals have gone missing or have been abducted by the security forces or intelligence agencies. Whereas, in actual from the list provided by Mr. Mengal, data of less than 1000 individuals could be verified.
Need to distinguish between missing persons, enforced disappearance
Exaggerated number of missing persons are registered with Commission of Inquiry on enforced disappearance and there is a need to distinguish between missing persons and enforced disappearance.
A large number of individuals listed in Commission of Inquiry of Enforced Disappearance list have already returned to their homes and are still being quoted by influencers for vested interests.
To resolve the missing persons and enforced disappearance issue in the country, 1st Judicial Commission was established under Supreme Court in April 2010.
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The Commission till date has resolved around 75% of the registered cases (registered cases till date = 8698) as the state remains responsive to the issue of enforced disappearance and considerable efforts have been made by government of Pakistan to address the issue.
It is pertinent to mention that security forces and intelligence agencies are accountable to the government of Pakistan and a number of cases have been resolved with the assistance of security forces.
