Islamabad, Mar. 7 (ANI): The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has said that a "general sense of impunity" surrounding enforced disappearances exists in Pakistan.
A Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances had visited Pakistan from September 10-20 last year at the invitation of the Pakistan government.
The Working Group said it was unable to obtain any information on any conviction of state agents in relation to acts of enforced disappearances.
According to the report, the working group transmitted 151 cases of missing persons to the government. Of these cases, nine cases have been clarified on the basis of information provided by the source, 42 cases have been clarified on the basis of information provided by the government, one has been deleted, but 99 remain outstanding.
The report stated that in Balochistan alone, some sources alleged that more than 14,000 people are still missing, while the provincial Government recognizes less than a hundred.
The report further said that families were threatened that, if they did file a case, their loved ones would be harmed, or another member of their family would also be abducted.
In a few cases, the lawyers defending the families were reportedly themselves victims of enforced disappearance.
The Commission of Inquiry is said to have limited authority on the various law enforcement or intelligence agencies allegedly involved in the cases of enforced disappearance.
The Working Group, despite its reiterated requests, received no information relating to the conviction of state agents in relation to acts of enforced disappearance.
The Working Group emphasized the need to ensure the oversight and
accountability of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, the need for specific measures to assist relatives of disappeared persons, in particular women, in coping with the consequences of a disappearance, as well as the need to address the issue of reparation for victims of enforced disappearance (ANI)
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