ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday that he would make all-out efforts for the recovery of missing persons.
The premier expressed these views before IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah during the hearing of identical petitions seeking the recovery of six missing persons, including journalist Mudassar Naaru.
“I cannot say that all of the missing persons will be recovered, but we will leave no stone unturned. I will not give any lame excuse,” the prime minister assured the court.
During today’s hearing, the court also summoned Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.
The law minister requested more time and sought at least two months to resolve the issue after which the IHC CJ Minallah adjourned the hearing till November 14.
At the outset of the hearing, IHC CJ Minallah told PM Shehbaz that the court has troubled him as the case is about a major issue.
The IHC chief justice remarked that the state is not responding as per its responsibility.
“A chief executive ruled this country for nine years. He proudly wrote in his book that he sold his people abroad,” IHC CJ Minallah said. It seems like it was probably the “state’s policy”, he said.
At the last hearing, Justice Minallah had directed PM Shehbaz to ensure that the missing persons — whose cases were being heard in the IHC — were produced before the court on September 9 (today) and warned that the failure to do so would require the premier to appear in person on the said date and give an explanation.
When PM Shehbaz appeared before the court today, Justice Minallah said he had been summoned as the issue at hand was a big one.
He recalled that the court had referred the matter of missing persons to the federal cabinet multiple times but the cabinet’s response “had not been what it should be”.
