One-third of 8,500 missing people returned home in 11 years

Only one-third of 8,500 missing Pakistani citizens have returned home after missing since March 2011 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, local media reported citing the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances report.

Of the 8,463 citizens missing since March 2011, only 3,284 have returned home, Dawn newspaper reported citing Commission's report.

The report was submitted by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday, the Pakistani newspaper reported.

The commission was set up in 2011 to trace the missing persons. During the nearly eleven years from March 2011 to Feb 28, 2022, the commission received 8,463 complaints about enforced disappearances, the report said. Of these cases, it has disposed of 6,214 cases, whereas 2,249 are still under investigation, Dawn newspaper reported.

The report said 3,284 missing people have been traced and returned home.

The report said major reasons for a growing number of missing people between 2007 and 2009 were a military operation against the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), successive drone attacks in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and illegal crossing of the Afghan border by some people to participate in the war against the United States, Dawn newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that the commission had taken no action against any person responsible for enforced disappearances.

Justice Minallah directed the commission to submit the report of retired Justice Kamal Mansoor Alam regarding the missing persons by the next hearing, Dawn newspaper reported. The court adjourned the hearing until April 1.