ISLAMABAD: Additional Attorney General (AAG) Sajid Ilyas Bhatti submitting an interim report in the missing persons case on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court (SC) that 1,330 people have been detained in internment centres.
The three-judge bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, was also informed that 253 internees have also been released.
The bench then inquired whether proceedings have been initiated against the centre to which the AAG responded with a request that the bench give him two weeks for submitting complete details.
Justice Khan remarked that heirs of the missing persons are helpless and they approach the courts and the commission for help.
Lawyer Inaamur Raheem, counsel for the missing persons, stated that the security establishment is neither submitting the report before the top court nor is it serious in complying with orders.
Raheem lamented the future of the case, saying, “After your [Justice Khan’s] retirement, the families of the missing persons will approach Manzoor Pashteen for help.” The lawyer also added that East Pakistan disintegrated when people started to disappear.
The bench also sought the internment order in the case of Taseef who is missing since 2013.
Raheem also submitted the case of Arshed Bilal who was handed down the death penalty by a military court but has been missing since 2011 when he was a juvenile. The court directed Raheem to approach the Lahore High Court (LHC).
