Missing people

Many people in Pakistan had been allegedly kidnapped by the American agencies (FBI, CIA) and Pakistani agencies (ISI, MI, IB) in pursuance of the "War on Terror." These people were arrested without any warrant or court order and denied any access to counsel as enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan. These actions were challenged in the Supreme Court and a bench under the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry took up the case. The complainants in the matter headed by Ms Amina Masood Janjua representing 254 missing persons and their families pleaded that the persons concerned be presented in front of a magistrate in line with the law and be given a trial.

The controversy over the matter increased after police baton charged demonstrators demanding released of their kin, stripping off demonstrators in the process which was pasted across the national newspapers increasing resentment against the government. The Supreme Court had the Ministry of Interior and the representatives of the military agencies directed to appear in the court and answer the issues raised causing ripples in Pakistan's powerful establishment .

As the case proceeded, the revelations during the proceedings increased public outrage on the matter. The government eventually released 107 missing persons, who narrated their stories of torture and solitary confinements at the hands of Pakistan 'law enforcement agencies', as well as names of others imprisoned with them.

It also became evident that most of the persons were detained for alleged links with the Secular Separatist insurgency in Balochistan and not Al Qaeda, also that many of detainees were there for personal differences ranging from property disputes to Imran Munir's case whereby he refused to marry the daughter of an Army General.

The case is being pleaded by Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim and Asma Jahangir from the Human Rights Commission of Pakista