Committee on missing persons

2026-02-08 - 22:26

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, in his address at the Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore, discussed in detail the issue of missing persons. The minister acknowledged both gravity and sensitivity of the matter and announced formation of a new committee to investigate cases more thoroughly, signalling a fresh attempt by govt to confront this longstanding problem. The announcement is significant. It reflects a recognition at highest levels of government that issue of missing persons cannot be treated as routine or peripheral. According to law minister, when the crisis was at its peak, the number of missing persons had risen to nearly 10,000. Through the work of commission, parliamentary oversight and previous committees, that figure has reportedly come down to around 2,600. While this decline is noteworthy, the minister rightly emphasised that the acceptable number is not a reduced one, but zero.This acknowledgment matters because behind every statistic lies a family living in uncertainty, anguish and prolonged grief. The suffering of families of missing persons is immense and enduring. Their pain cannot be ignored, managed through temporary measures, or brushed aside by procedural explanations. As the minister noted, relief packages introduced by previous governments were meant to mitigate hardship, not to close cases or bring matters to an end. Financial support, while necessary, can never substitute for truth, accountability and closure.The formation of another committee, coupled with the prime minister’s stated concern, underscores a seriousness of intent that must now translate into concrete action. No matter nature of allegations or circumstances involved, the law must remain supreme. Individuals cannot be disappeared outside the legal framework. Families have a fundamental right to know the fate of their loved ones. Justice delayed in such cases becomes justice denied, not only to missing individuals but also to those left behind. Only when transparency, accountability and adherence to rule of law are ensured only then this issue can begin to resolve.