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It’s worth remembering the adage ‘justice delayed is justice denied.’ Yesterday marked the second anniversary of the missing people’s case. Amina Masood Janjua, chairperson of the Defence of Human Rights in Pakistan – an independent organisation calling for the release of all citizens who have been illegally detained – continues her four-year-long struggle to locate her missing husband as well as the other missing people of Pakistan. Most of them were dragged out of their houses, abducted from offices, picked off roads, and hustled into waiting vans, never to be heard from again. For all intents and purposes, they are gone without a trace.
According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), of the more than 400 missing persons listed by the HRCP in 2005, 240 have been traced. Currently, the list contains 198 names, of which 99 have been located. However, Janjua and many others still await justice, a promise that was made to them while they marched and sloganeered for the freedom of the judiciary. The days of fiery press conferences and passionate promises to bring back the ‘brothers and sisters of the nation’ seem to be over, as human rights campaigners are increasingly disillusioned by the reality of our judicial system.
Of course, no one expected the recovery of missing persons to be an easy task. But the fact that the missing people’s case is yet to be taken up by the Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry is appalling. After all, the case of missing persons was one of the most vital issues that dragged people out of their homes and on to the streets to demand the restoration of the chief justice.
To the dismay of many, the efforts of the public seem to have been in vain, as little is being done or said about the case. While the families of the missing people still await justice, the lives of ordinary people have been consumed by another, pressing issue. The authorities now have much more to worry about in the form of the war against terror, and media channels are focusing on the plethora of news-worthy incidents that erupt (literally) every day. Meanwhile, the judicial system is yet to decide its stance.
The public at large has forgotten the plight of the missing people and their families as terrorists threaten to paralyse our cities. Ironically, the only time one hears about the missing people is during one of those flaming ‘America is the devil’ speeches by religious fanatics or opposition leaders struggling for the limelight. After all, blaming America has always been the best way to shove our internal issues under the conspiracy carpet. It should be noted here that, contrary to popular belief, most of those missing are being held in detention centres within Pakistan.
Speaking to Janjua about her case, I was amazed by her unwavering dedication and hope for the return of her husband along with hundreds of others who have gone missing. When I asked her how she expected the nation to rise to the issue and participate in her struggle, she offered a simple and doable solution.
We need a forum to mobilise the youth of the country. We aim towards making an environment where human rights matter. A society that is safe and respects the rights of individuals. Apart from this being an emotional dilemma, it is also an economic crisis. Most families have lost their sole earners; they are even deprived of necessities such as flour. My organisation caters for them as well as raising voice for their lost ones. I would request help from all factions of the society lawyers, NGOs, writers, human right activists, youth and everyone else to join in our cause. Arrange seminars help our cause grow. For those living abroad could help by sending funds, which would be used to arrange seminars and to support the families of the victims.It would not be a bad idea to support the families of missing persons. Their plea is to bring justice to their loved ones by giving them the basic right to a fair trial. The fact is, as the authorities continue to detain hundreds of suspected terrorists, doubts may be cast on the authenticity of the claims of the families of missing people. No doubt, we should not assume that those in detention are innocent. But in the absence of a trial, how will we ever find out the truth?
Sana Saleem is a Features Editor at BEE magazine and blogs at Global Voices, Pro-Pakistan her personal blog Mystified Justice. She tweets at twitter.com/sanasaleem.
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Sana Saleem is the co-founder of Bolo Bhi & Stories Beyond Borders.
She's on the board of advisory for Courage Foundation, Edward Snowden's legal defence fund.
Read more
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Comments (29) Closed
Nov 05, 2009 11:27am
This is really a very detestable act of our secret agencies. Where are the vows and pledges of those politician who got votes by their tears and pathos? I entreat all readers to help those distressed families of people in anyway you can.
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Nov 04, 2009 11:52am
Yes we are in the habit of putting all blame on the USA for every wrong in our country. When we blame the USA for establishing Guantanamo Jail we miss the fact how many such Guantanamos we have in our country.
when we (rightly) talk of the plight of Dr. Afia Siddiqui we forget that inside Pakstan there are many families that are going through similar agonies.
It is now only that we are sympathising with the police for the loss of their personnel (due to blasts etc). Previously we have always been correctly condemning the gories committed by the police. May be what is now happening is actually the price of what they have been doing to the innocent people.
Sana did not give the details where help to the forum can be sent.
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Nov 04, 2009 12:20pm
Well sana ..it is become a heart burning reality. The war on terror made a us to pay a heavy cost of human life.i am with the families of missing people. The responsible people should be taken under detention. our system has totally collapsed.Only media can make this issue pointable .It must be raise in the Parliament also. But the parlimentarians are enagaged in trivial things. by heart i want to do sumthing for the innocent...And doc. afia is still victimised...No one knws when justice wil return..
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Nov 04, 2009 12:26pm
an eye opener issue. really now a days we are only updated with the hot and burning issues of suicide attackers.
the familes of those missing people really suffering alot, and as being the part of society we must raise the voice.
i will definitely play my part.
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Nov 04, 2009 12:36pm
I think Allah will not help us unless we help ourselves how many of us individually do some thing for those missing people we can highlight this by publishing this issue to government and abroad.
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Nov 04, 2009 01:07pm
Well written.
I wonder what's stopping the Cheif Justice from taking up this case when his interest in this case set the foundations of conflict between him and the government in 2005. Four years are more than enough. The media also seems to have forgotten about the issue. They need to highlight it and remind the Chief justice of his promises that he seems to have forgotten for God knows what reason.
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Nov 04, 2009 01:27pm
To me it is tragic that Human Rights for Hindus is never a concern of "Human Rights" activists. Be it in Pakistan or Kashmir.
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Nov 04, 2009 03:02pm
What is the real story behind these people without getting emotional, why these people were picked up by the agencies in the first place. Why out of 140 million population, only these 400 people were picked up. There must be a reason. If these people have any links with Taliban/terrorists then its better that these people should not get recover from their prison. We have already enough Taliban terrorists to deal with.
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Nov 04, 2009 03:08pm
We Pakistanis have to realize the importance of merit and equality. My heart goes out to the families who have lost the loved ones. I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the people who have been missing for years and years. Thousands of young men went missing back in late nineties and early two thousands when Army started the operation against the people of Karachi. It seems we have forgotten them, why? The people who went lost at that time were as much Pakistani as the people went missing one year back are. They are as much Pakistani as you and me are. So why don't ask don't tell for people who went missing from one part of the country?
We as Pakistani's should open our eyes and look around us every country is working as a unit for the prosperity of its people. We are still cutting each others throats because might is right and the one who is in majority can get away with anything like doing operations on minorities or just take their things like gas without paying them a single penny. I know most of our fellow men are not educated but the people who live in Pakistan who go to schools and universities who practice equality in cities like Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi how come they don't see everyone with the lens of equal right to live and earn?
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Nov 04, 2009 03:13pm
I've had BIG expectations after the restoration of Judiciary. But now I've realized that many of the issues of Pakistan are time taking to get resolved. Supreme Court should make priorities and settle this particular issue once and for all, positively. Though I still have hopes from Supreme Court. Justice delayed is Justice denial, really. But in Allah's court, His delays aren't His denials.
I don't understand why none of the politician take a literal bold steps on this issue. Almost every political party is stuck with its same recurring issues and most of them are concerning the "power-ship". May Allah bring all of us to some sanity.
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Nov 04, 2009 04:13pm
I am not sure why they were picked up by the authorities and were never produced before any court. The high officials of the Government agencies involved in such crimes should be exposed and brought to justice. It has been more than a year that a new government has taken over but the issue of missing people has not been resolved. If we don't help the missing people, we will be next in line to become missing persons without a trace.
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Nov 04, 2009 05:13pm
Indeed, every one is entitled to freedom. With regard to people detained the relatives are entitled to know the where abouts of such missing persons.
If the detainee are not guilty as charged, they must be allowed to reunite with their families. Never the less, the people detained without charges is a clear violation of the human rights under the constitution of Pakistan.
In this regard, the delayed justice must be noticeable by the honourable Judiciary at the earliest to relieve the so many aggrieved families.
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Nov 04, 2009 06:08pm
We were so confident that the revived supreme court would want the missing persons case brought to its satisfactory conclusion, this is not so. I am dissapointed that the supreme court is not delivering Justice we all hoped it would.
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Nov 04, 2009 07:39pm
Good to read this post. A few months back I got chance to talk to an old man whose son is among these missing people. I don't know I have been as sad ever before as I felt after talking to him. I was literally busted to tears. One thing which really touched my heart were the words of that old man "if my son is guilty bring to the court of law and punish him if the accusations proved to be true at least I would be able to see him than."
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Nov 04, 2009 08:36pm
Common Start blaming India as usual. Your ex-dictators and are corrupt. They never looked after the welfare of the ordinary and innocent citizen. Writing this on the wall for Pakistan. I feel very sorry for my own country men 60 yrs before. May Allah all mighty show you the path.
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Nov 04, 2009 09:44am
This reminds me a lot of Argentina's Dirty War when all those political dissidents were picked up and thrown out of planes over the Atlantic. God knows if all our illegally detained citizens are alive or not. I cant imagine how the families must be feeling as their lives have already been shattered. They have all been kept in the dark for what reason. Are they so dangerous that the public must not know what they were taken away for? The so called restored judiciary has not fulfilled it's promises to look into the cases of the victims of the Dirty War in Pakistan. It's sad that they are not so bothered to help those people who helped them. Only Allah can help us.
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Nov 04, 2009 09:54am
Good read thanks for bringing this issue to light.
I am curious to find out about the 99 people that were located. Whose agenda were they serving? And where were they kept all these years/months?
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Nov 04, 2009 08:56pm
We know Nawaz Sharif, Zardari, Cheif Justice and Mullahs are corrupt then why folks of Pakistan have hopes from them? Why?
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Nov 04, 2009 11:39pm
It is appalling that no one pays attention to missing people, including politicians, governments, judiciary, and civil society. This just tells you what kind of a nation you are. Can no one help the families of missing people?
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Nov 05, 2009 01:47am
These people had links with jehadi terrorist organizations as well as Taliban. These people must be punished in front of public so that no body in the future dare to do so again.
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Nov 05, 2009 05:15am
Missing persons detention is absolutely illegal, unhuman and crual act. If they have done anything wrong, deal them according to law and constitution of Pakistan. I would like to inform those who are involved in this crime for temporary gain that more than this will happen with them also.
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Nov 05, 2009 05:47am
How can we call this a democracy with these on goings? Human life unfortunately has lost significant value in Pakistan. What's taking the parties so long to decide whether the detainess are guilty or innocent? If guilty, trial them in a court of justice, if innocent let them go back to their families or else we will be laying the foundation for hatred against a disfunctional demcoracy. Chief Justice Sahab: Wake up. Can't you fell the pain of the people who brought you back?
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Nov 05, 2009 09:34pm
Great article Sana. You have highlighted an issue that the whole nation had forgotten, apparently.
Whatever these people have done, they deserve a fair and open trial. That's a basic rule of democracy and a question of justice and fairness. To those who have commented on this blog that these people should be kept where they are, shame on you. You are saying this because you are sitting comfortably in your home. Suppose a 'high-up' someday decides that you are a terrorist and need to be locked up, without giving you a chance to defend yourself, how would you like it?
Honestly, I think the Cheif Justice has made a deal. He will not raise this issue for the sake of 'national security', the altar on which we have sacrificed countless innocent lives and livelihoods.
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Nov 06, 2009 12:10am
We have Supreme Court, High Courts and many others but we do not have rule of law.
Case of missing persons has not been given importance which it required. One can imagine agony of the families of the missing persons. The missing persons may have committed crimes but they must have passed through process of law. Are the agencies, which are believed to have kidnaped these people above law? Yes, practically the are! Some of the commentators have co-planed that Chief Justice for whose restoration they had struggled in the hope, that after his restoration he will make justice to be within easy reach of the people. But he, at this point of time, is busy to tackle with his brother judges who have taken oath under PCO. Near and dears of the missing persons should better wait patiently and catch Aitzaz Ahsan who had made tall claims while struggling for restoration of the Chief Justice.
keeping the people in custody and incommunicado is inhuman, clear violation of the constitution, the law and morality. The matter had been in notice of the Chief Justice, has been suffiently high lighted through press and electronic media even then possibility of relief seems a difficult task.
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Nov 06, 2009 03:45am
Article is a gem, theoretically though. Law enfrocement agencies have a job to do. With what the suicide bombers & terrorists are doing to the country, their job is much more difficult. I tend to believe that during the present era of media scrutiny, a very low % of "Missing Persons" is a case of "being at the wrong place & time". Well some collateral is normal. That happens in West too.
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Nov 06, 2009 06:21am
Once upon a time a traveller was passing by a village, he noticed that all the villagers of that village were crying. He enquired about their grief. He was told that a person of that village had been murdered by his co-villager and they were mourning his sad death. The traveller sympathised with them and prayed for the soul of the deceased and then restarted his journey. After a few years the same travller had again a chance to pass by that village. To his surprise he saw that the people of the village were again crying. He landed from his horse and asked a villager that a few years back when he passing by there people were mourning a murder but coincently today he found them again in a deep state of grief. He was told that the person who committed that murder was hanged that day and they were crying over his death. The traveller thought for a while, mounted on his horse and said to his horse "gallop away from the village where murderer and murdered are mourned alike.
Before action was taken against the people of Lal Masjid, every one was snubbing government for not taking action against them. But as soon as action was taken and the masjid was freed, the same people started criticising government for the action. I think Paksiatni's should take a stand on an issue after due deligence and that stance should not be changed to what may come. It needs moral courage to spade a spade.
These missing persons must have some links with terrorists as it has been said "all truths are half true".
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Nov 07, 2009 02:00pm
I have read Sana
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Nov 14, 2009 06:51am
I read the above article relating to the missing people. I am very thankful and have a great respect for Sana Saleem. Because she has a great sympathy for the effected families. I would like to request all the people of Pakistan to help her and try to make her successful in this good work.
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Nov 14, 2009 06:38am
I am 100 percent sure that unless we are ally of USA, the abductors will not free missing persons. Mobilizing a group of people is not the solution in my viewpoint rather we should work for motivating public sentiments. Each and every household should be approached through electronic media campaign like many news channels repeated by running advertisement of one to three minutes duration during the struggle for the restoration of Chief Justice of Pakistan. This the only way to remind and sensitize Iftikhar Muhammad Choudhry, Yousaf Gilani, Nawaz Shrif, Ashfaq Kyani and others who matters to accomplish the unfinished agenda of people struggle for the restoration of free judiciary.
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