Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar addresses the Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore on Saturday. SCREENGRAB
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Saturday announced the formation of a new committee to investigate the long-standing issue of missing persons, saying the government was treating the matter with seriousness and sensitivity.
Addressing the Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore, Tarar said that when the issue had reached alarming proportions, the number of missing persons stood at nearly 10,000.
He said that after a commission was formed, committees were set up and Parliament played its role, the figure had gradually declined and was now reported to be around 2,600. Tarar added that while the number had decreased, it should ideally be zero.
However, the human rights minister noted that the issue was not unique to Pakistan and existed in many other countries as well.
Referring to steps taken by the previous federal government, Tarar said a relief package had been introduced as a stopgap arrangement. He clarified that the relief package did not mean cases would be closed.
“That was to mitigate the sufferings of the families, and it not only includes financial support but also provides a mechanism to resolve all related legal complications.”
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The minister said another committee was now being formed to examine the matter more closely, adding that at the prime ministerial level, there was serious concern about the issue. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif believed that every person should be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law and that such practices could not be accepted in any form.
Explaining the reasons behind people being listed as missing, Tarar said that in many cases, individuals who died in terrorist attacks or encounters also ended up being included in the list of missing persons. Therefore, he said, it could not be ruled out that some individuals had voluntarily disappeared and joined banned organisations, which also contributed to the figures.
He said the government was working on the issue with complete seriousness and announced progress on the establishment of an independent commission for minorities. “There is some good news from the Ministry of Human Rights’ point of view. It was a long-awaited desire and demand that there should be an independent commission for minorities. Thank God, the legislation has been completed and the process has now begun.”
The law minister said the matter would come before Parliament and independent appointments would be made to the commission, expressing hope that credible names would be nominated.
In the same address, Tarar defended the decision to refer some cases to military courts, saying the law required individuals who attacked military installations to be tried in that forum.
“The Anti-Terrorism Act, under which other individuals have been convicted or tried, provides for harsher and more stringent punishments. However, the reason some people were referred to military courts was that the law required that those who trespassed into army defence installations and ransacked them be tried in that forum,” he said.
Tarar added that even in military courts, the government’s effort was to ensure maximum protection within the guarantees provided under the law, which was why the punishments did not appear to be overly severe.
He also welcomed the granting of A-status to the National Commission for Human Rights. He said insufficient work had previously been done on formalising the minimum age for child marriage, but the country was now close to enacting the law.
“Punjab is almost, almost very close to legislating on it, and then only Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will remain, with whom we are also in discussions.”
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Speaking about blasphemy cases, he said the use of social media in such matters was a point of concern for everyone. He said the government had taken the issue seriously, tightened monitoring and, keeping checks and balances in view, formulated a policy to ensure that no one was wrongfully persecuted.
Comparing the situation with previous years, Tarar said 2025 had brought some relief, as the number of cases had dropped by 20%.
“This time, the total number reported across Pakistan, in a population of 240 million, was only 34 cases, compared to 180 to 200 cases annually in previous years.”
Emphasising freedom of expression, he said that differences of opinion were a right in a civilised society.
He said people should offer positive criticism within reasonable limits and show the government a mirror of truth, adding that the government would listen with an open heart and try to correct matters wherever possible.
