Missing persons commission logs 197 new cases in 2024 so far

A total of 197 missing persons cases were submitted to the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (COIOED) in the first half of the year, according to a report released on Monday.

The commission was set up in 2011 to trace the missing persons and fix responsibility on the individuals or organisations responsible. The report showed that 226 cases were disposed of in the first six months of 2023.

The commission said that the total number of cases received up till June 30 was 10,285 while 8,015 cases were disposed of with a total of 6,464 people traced so far and 1,551 cases disposed of.

The report added that 2,270 cases were left while 4,514 were returned home, 1,002 were present in internment centres, 671 were in prisons and 277 found dead.

It said 47 cases were received in June and 28 were disposed of with 13 of them unrelated to enforced disappearances, nine returned to their homes, three were confined in internment centres, two were confined in jails and one person’s dead body was found.

On April 23, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar had said that the issue of missing persons could “not be solved overnight” but the government was committed to finding a solution by first achieving a consensus amongst all stakeholders.

The law minister emphasised that when discussing the issue of missing persons, it must be noted that Pakistan had performed the role of a frontline state in a war-ridden area for the past four decades, adding that the circumstances in neighbouring countries had further exacerbated internal challenges.

Azam noted that the people and army of Pakistan had paid an “unbelievable price” in the fight against terrorism with their sacrifices, adding that the same must be taken into consideration when finding a solution to the issue of missing persons.