- Says Musharraf’s abrogation of constitution root of all problems
- Supreme Court resumes hearing of missing persons’ case today
- Task force on missing persons for detention of suspects for 90 days
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday said that the government would fulfill its responsibility of resolving the issue of missing persons.
In an interview with a private TV channel, Asif said that law would be made in this regard soon.
He said that some of the missing persons have left the country and settled in Afghanistan, while 89 were still untraceable. He said the two missing persons were in jail and they have requested the court to ensure their presence in the prisons instead of calling them in the court.
To a question, the minister said that former president Pervez Musharraf abrogated the constitution on October 12, 1999 and this step was the root of all problems facing the country, including the missing persons’ issue.
Asif said that action would be taken against all the convicts in LPG quota corruption case as declared by the Supreme Court. He said that during election campaign, he was offered a huge amount of money to take back the petition against LPG quota in the court, but he refused.
To another question, he said the thinking of army has significantly changed and democracy was being strengthened in the country. He said that during last five years, the army neither conspired against democracy in the country nor did politicking by joining hands with politicians.
He said that the country’s problems would be solved if parliament, politicians, the government and the army work together.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will resume the hearing of missing persons’ case today (Monday).
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, will hear the missing persons’ case.
Separately, the federal task force to resolve the issue of missing persons and forced disappearances has recommended that law enforcers should be allowed to detain suspected persons for 90 days.
According to sources, the task force also recommended the establishment of commissions at the provincial level to work for the recovery of missing persons. Sources said that necessary legislation for the implementation of the recommendations would be made after approval by the prime minister.
They said the law enforcers would be empowered to keep in their custody any person found involved in terrorism and extremism, and anti-state activities for 90 days. However the law enforcers would have to inform the families of such persons as well as the police stations concerned.
The interior minister had formed the task force to resolve the issue of missing persons and forced disappearances.
I appreciate his decision to finally solve this problem. Hopefully the situation will get better in 2014.
Situation will not change no way to find where those people are gone. Asif will try to twist and riggle out of the situation because he is a lawyer but no way out for him either Its crunh time.
Poor man, he was made he got additional charge for this ministry at 11 hour now he has to answer for every thing.
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