Islamabad High Court suggests treason charge over enforced disappearances

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday suggested a high treason charge for enforced disappearances over the state functionaries responsible for providing protection to citizens.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, who made the observation during the hearing of a petition seeking safe recovery of 'missing' journalist Mudassir Mehmood Naaru, observed enforced disappearances gave the impression that the state was behind such a heinous crime, reported Dawn.

Justice Minallah observed that even the media was not independent to cover miseries of 'missing' persons and their families. According to him, media in civilized societies gives vast coverage to such cases of enforced disappearance but Pakistani media seemed reluctant to carry even a photo of the children of a 'missing' person.

Referring to the 'abduction' of Assistant Director of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Sajid Gondal, the IHC chief justice remarked that a young man had illegally been taken into custody and was forced to give the statement that he had gone "to the Northern Areas on his own", reported Dawn.

He said that the head of government should identify those individuals in the institutions under his command who are found to be behind enforced disappearances

"Summoning officials of subordinate departments answerable to the prime minister and federal cabinet would be a futile exercise," he added.

Imaan Zainab Hazir-Mazari, counsel for the family of the missing journalist, argued that officials of the spy agency should be held responsible for the enforced disappearance of any citizen from their respective jurisdiction, reported Dawn.

However, Advocate retired Lt Col Inamur Rahim argued that Prime Minister Imran Khan and federal cabinet were responsible for the safety and security of citizens and if they would fail to protect the life of a citizen, then they were liable to be tried for subversion of the Constitution under the Rules of Business 1973, reported Dawn.

( With inputs from ANI )

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