Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar addresses the Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore on Saturday. SCREENSHOT
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Saturday announced the formation of a new committee to probe the long-standing issue of missing persons, saying the government was treating the issue seriously and sensitively.
Addressing the Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore, Tarar said that when the problem reached alarming proportions, the number of missing people rose to nearly 10,000.
He said that after the formation of a commission, the creation of committees and the establishment of Parliament, this figure had gradually decreased and was now around 2,600. Tarar added that although this figure had decreased, ideally it should be zero.
However, the human rights minister stressed that the problem was not unique to Pakistan and existed in many other countries as well.
Referring to measures taken by the previous federal government, Tarar said a relief package had been introduced on an interim basis. He clarified that the relief program did not mean that the cases would be closed.
“This was aimed at alleviating the suffering of the families, and it not only includes financial support, but also provides a mechanism to resolve all related legal complications.”
Read: Cases of missing persons referred to the Commission
The minister said another committee was being formed to look into the matter further, adding that at the prime ministerial level there were serious concerns about the issue. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif believed that every person should be treated strictly in accordance with the law and such practices could not be accepted in any form.
Explaining why people went missing, Tarar said that in many cases, people who died in terrorist attacks or clashes also ended up being included in the list of missing people. Therefore, he added, it cannot be ruled out that some individuals voluntarily disappeared and joined banned organizations, which also contributed to the figures.
He said the government was working on this issue with utmost seriousness and announced progress in establishing an independent commission for minorities. “There is good news from the point of view of the Ministry of Human Rights. It has been a wish and a demand for a long time that there is an independent commission for minorities. Thank God the legislation has been finalized and the process has now started.”
The justice minister said the matter would be taken to Parliament and independent nominations would be made to the commission, expressing hope that credible names would be named.
In the same speech, Tarar defended the decision to refer some cases to military courts, saying the law required that individuals who attacked military installations be tried in that court.
“The anti-terrorism law, under which other people have been convicted or tried, provides for harsher and stricter punishments. However, the reason why some people have been referred to military courts is because the law requires those who enter and ransack army defense installations to be tried in this forum,” he said.
Tarar added that even in military courts, the government’s efforts were to ensure maximum protection within the framework of the guarantees provided by law, which is why the sanctions did not seem too severe.
He also welcomed the granting of A status to the National Human Rights Commission. He said insufficient efforts had previously been made to formalize the minimum age for child marriage, but the country was now close to enacting the law.
“Punjab is almost, almost very close to legislating on this, and then only Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will be left, with whom we are also in discussions.”
Read also: Government forms group to help families of missing people
Speaking about blasphemy cases, he said the use of social media in such cases was a matter of concern for everyone. He said the government had taken the issue seriously, strengthened surveillance and, keeping in mind checks and balances, had formulated a policy to ensure that no one was wrongly persecuted.
Comparing the situation with previous years, Tarar said 2025 brought some relief, as the number of cases decreased by 20%.
“This time, the total number reported across Pakistan, out of a population of 240 million, was only 34 cases, compared to 180 to 200 cases per year in previous years. »
Stressing freedom of expression, he said differences of opinion were a right in a civilized society.
He said people should give positive criticism within reason and show the government a mirror of the truth, adding that the government would listen with an open heart and try to put things right wherever possible.
