LAHORE: NAB Chairman and National Commission for Enforced Disappearances President Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal on Monday said that during former president General (retd) Pervaiz Musharraf’s tenure, the then interior minister Aftab Sherpao handed over 4,000 Pakistanis to foreigners.
Briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights over the issue of missing persons in the country, Javed Iqbal said that 70 percent of the missing individuals were involved in ‘militancy’ and that the recovered individuals “were too scared to open up about their experiences”.
“MQM showed disinterest over recovery of missing workers”
Speaking about the missing Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) workers, the commission chief said that “MQM showed no interest in recovery of their missing workers.”
“MQM had its government but did not take the case of missing persons in Sindh seriously. MQM workers who went missing two decades ago have not been recovered yet,” he added.
“Musharraf govt handed over Pakistanis to foreign elements”
Javed Iqbal continued that during former president General (retd) Pervaiz Musharraf’s tenure, the then interior minister Aftab Sherpao handed over 4,000 Pakistanis to foreigners.
He added that Musharraf had himself admitted to having done so and that the parliament did not raise its voice against the former president and interior minister. “He should have been questioned that according to which law was he handing people to foreign elements,” Iqbal added.
He further added that “Musharraf and his lawmakers were awarded dollars for handing over people.”
“In favour of ban on foreign NGOs”
The NAB chairman said that he was in favour of placing a ban on foreign NGOs working within Pakistan. “These NGOs are working for foreign elements and they do get their funding from abroad. If I had the authority, I would have placed a ban on the organisations,” he added.
On performance of the commission
Justice (retd) Javed also brief the committee about the performance of the commission. He said that from March 2011 to February 2018, the commission resolved a total of 3,219 cases.
Currently, he added, the commission is investigating 1,710, while additional 368 cases were received from the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances during the past few years, majority of which have been resolved.
“Will call upon Manzoor Pashteen”
During the meeting, committee member Naseema Hafeez requested for the media to provide coverage to Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashteen, saying that “he is fighting for the rights of missing persons and their families.”
To this end, Javed Iqbal responded that he would call upon Pashteen regarding the issue and that he will ask him for the list of missing persons.