<\/p>\n
Caretaker Human Rights Minister Khalil George has said that a committee on the issue of missing persons is in the works, adding that government was \u201cthoroughly\u201d looking into the matter.<\/p>\n
The human rights minister made the remarks in an interview on Dawn News<\/em> show \u2018Doosra Rukh<\/em>\u2019, which will be aired later tonight.<\/p>\n The remarks come days after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar to appear before the court<\/a> on November 29 (Wednesday) if he did not secure the recovery of more than 50 allegedly missing Baloch students.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday had also hinted<\/a> at summoning the caretaker prime minister if police and provincial administration could not make any progress in recovery of missing persons.<\/p>\n In an interview with Dawn News<\/em>, George said, \u201cThe prime minister is planning a committee on missing persons with the interior minister and other ministers so the issue can be fully analysed. Such as where are the missing persons, how many there are and what is their status.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the finer details regarding the finalisation of the committee were under way. However, the minister said that the government\u2019s stance was that the number of missing persons was not as high as some claimed.<\/p>\n George said the government was \u201cthoroughly\u201d looking into the matter and the committee would investigate the details of those who were missing. At the same time, he said that the committee\u2019s terms of references (TORs) had not yet been drafted, adding that its mandate would be determined once this was done.<\/p>\n Questioned if the committee would really be able to solve the problem, the human rights minister said every committee formulated tried its best to discharge its responsibility.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, according to Pakistan\u2019s laws, a citizen is the responsibility of the state and the state is well aware of this [\u2026]. Let\u2019s see what the committee does. I have complete trust in the committee, that it will do its job.\u201d<\/p>\n In an interview on Saturday night, PM Kakar had addressed<\/a> the issue of missing Baloch students, stating that the government would offer representation at the appropriate platform when feasible. He explained the circumstances of the students\u2019 disappearance and emphasised the government\u2019s \u201cpurported lack of involvement\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cState has no hand in these disappearances. Most times, the security forces pick up the people who\u2019re involved in activities which are against the law,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe backlash we\u2019re facing right now because according to Baloch leaders, we\u2019re the \u2018undertaker\u2019 government not taking enough steps towards release of these people,\u201d he said, questioning the lack of public outcry when lawyers, doctors, and other respected citizens faced similar threats and violence in the past.<\/p>\n On Friday, caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti, had expressed concerns<\/a> about the IHC summoning the prime minister. The minister had said that it was not suitable for the court to call the premier for every minor issue.<\/p>\n The prime minister had supported Bugti\u2019s assertion, highlighting that the count of missing persons in Pakistan is the \u201clowest in the region,\u201d emphasising it as both an aspect and a reality.<\/p>\n Moreover, in an interview with BBC Urdu<\/em> at the end of September, PM Kakar had claimed<\/a> that according to a UN sub-committee\u2019s estimates, around 50 people were forcibly disappeared in Balochistan.<\/p>\n\u201878pc of missing persons cases resolved\u2019<\/h2>\n