“Missing” Empathy

Author: Daily Times

As Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah’s gavel scathingly denounces the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances for having “failed in its duty,” a tone-deaf, bizarre statement from none other than the country’s human rights minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada takes the nation by storm for an entirely different reason. However, just as excellent has been the response from PPP stalwart and human rights advocate Farhatullah Babar. He did not mince his words; lashing at the so-called “surrender” to the forces responsible for petting the beast, which very conveniently cherry-picks Pakistani citizens from here, there and everywhere and leaves their kin to beg for their whereabouts outside Quaid’s mausoleum.

The official wing of human rights has not impressed many with its performance in the years gone by. No one has forgotten how the bill criminalising enforced disappearance, ironically disappeared on its merry way to the upper house. But it may be one thing to jump before cameras and point the barrel at ISI headquarters as an excuse for not taking care of business. However, concocting cock-and-bull stories about foreign interference and quite emphatically standing behind heavy-handed tactics against the sons and daughters of this very land cannot be made up for no matter what Mr Riaz and his social team may come up with.

He wasn’t shooting arrows in the darkness as some may presume but rather validating what the hawks already (and very confidently) toot the horn about. Cases like Muhabat Shah have seen intelligence agencies delve into great detail about the extent of enforced disappearances and the role of civil and military forces. Why then, would the honourable minister, willingly step into a puddle despite full knowledge that any attempt to silence the debate would only blow up in his own face? The ongoing demand on social media platforms for his resignation does hold merit because any person who takes up the baton to protect the provision of human rights, as enshrined in the constitution of Pakistan, should be aware of whose side to wave his pompoms for.

The higher judiciary has rubber-stamped its choice by making quite a bold summons in recent weeks. What had started from the issuance of notice to former chief executives has now erupted into a volcanic series of actions; forcing the legislature to finally embrace the burden on its shoulders. And at the expense of being branded pessimistic, simply forming committees–however illustrious–cannot do the deed. The need of the hour remains to change the overall mindset that somehow looks down upon those who have vanished in thin air. 550 failed production orders are no joke. More worryingly, only one-third of the over 8500 missing people returning home gives further credence to a Persian proverb, “Thinking well is wise; planning well wiser; doing well wisest and best of all.” If this is the best all the king’s advisors have been able to produce in all of 11 years, may be it is time to change the approach. *

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