Enforced disappearances in Pakistan has reached new level of 'brazenness': Pak newspaper

Islamabad [Pakistan], September 11 (ANI): Enforced disappearances in Pakistan has reached a level of "brazenness inconceivable" a few years ago, Pakistani newspaper Dawn said in an editorial. 

Commenting on the recent report of International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) on working of Pakistan's Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (COEID), the newspaper said that the disppaernce is not just limited to Balochistan but has slowly expanded to more populated areas. 

Highlighting the inaction by Pakistan government, Dawn, in the editorial titled 'ICJ’s scathing review', said that there may be multiple witnesses, yet no one seems able to trace the perpetrators of crimes.

In a briefing paper released on September 8, the ICJ,a global body of 60 eminent judges and lawyers, said that the COIED which was formed to trace the whereabouts of enforced disappeared persons, has "wholly failed to address entrenched impunity, leaving victims and their loved without any redress'.

"Enforced disappearances not just continue to take place here, they have reached a level of brazenness inconceivable a few years ago. Earlier, it was often in Balochistan — long a black hole for information — or remote parts of KP that individuals would be forcibly disappeared. The theatre of action then slowly expanded to more populated areas," the editorial read.

"Now, victims are not necessarily snatched under cover of darkness; abductions even take place in broad daylight in busy urban centres. There may be multiple witnesses, yet no one seems able to trace the perpetrators, let alone prosecute them," it added.

The COIED was constituted in March 2011 by Pakistan Federal government, with a mandate to, among other things, “trace the whereabouts of allegedly enforced disappeared persons” and “fix responsibility on individuals or organizations responsible.”

The ICJ said that the COIED has “traced” the whereabouts of “missing persons” in a number of cases, there has been no apparent effort made to fix responsibility for this heinous crime.  

“This Commission has failed in holding even a single perpetrator of enforced disappearance responsible in its nine years,” Ian Seiderman, ICJ’s Legal and Policy Director was quoted in the ICJ statement regarding the paper.

“A Commission that does not address impunity, nor facilitate justice for victims and their families, can certainly not be considered effective,” he added.

The ICJ highlighted some of the concerns regarding the commission about the paper including the lack of structural and functional independence and no transparent criteria or process for the selection of commissioners. The ICJ also expressed concerns regarding questions over the impartiality of the Commission’s Chairperson,

flawed definition of enforced disappearance, limited scope of inquiry, inadequate victim and witness protection, failure to hold perpetrators accountable and no public report on its work. 

“The Government has used the Commission to deflect criticism and claim it is serious about addressing enforced disappearances,” added Seiderman.

“In reality, however, the COIED has led to a compromised inquiry process where investigations do not lead to accountability, nor do they result in proper and adequate reparation for victims.”

In light of the above, the ICJ has called on Imran Khan-led government not to extend the tenure of the existing COIED. Rather, the Government should hold real and meaningful consultations with all concerned stakeholders – including victims’ groups and human rights organizations – on the need for a new statutory commission that meets international standards. (ANI)