Amina Masood Janjua urges COAS General Bajwa to sort out issue of missing persons ahead of his soon approaching retirement

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13 (SABAH): Defence of Human Rights (DHR) Pakistan has stressed upon the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa to sort out the inhumane issue of enforced disappearances ahead of his soon approaching retirement for getting the country rid of human rights violations and delivering justice to the heirs of missing persons, waiting for years.

In a statement, the Chairperson of Defence of Human Rights (DHR) Pakistan Amina Masood Janjua said that she held a meeting with the then Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Asif Ghafoor wherein the issue of missing persons came under discussions threadbare.

During the meeting, Lieutenant General Asif Ghafoor said that they own missing persons and added it hurts him as long as he diverts his attention towards this matter, she recalled. Moreover, she said, Ghafoor had revealed before her that there is a cell at General Headquarters (GHQ) which was working under the supervision of General Bajwa and that the issue will be resolved. 

She said, after the meeting, family members of missing persons including she were hopeful of coming out of some solution of this issue; however, two persons were recovered since then to till-date.

Amina Masood Janjua further said that a second planned meeting had to be held on September 19, 2019, with Asif Ghafoor but it couldn’t be conducted as her father passed away and she could not visit him. Later on, he was transferred and a meeting could not be held again.

She was of the view that family members of missing persons have been suffering for years and knocking at each and every door but they have been being denied justice, and their struggle came to naught.

Amina Masood Janjua further said the issue of missing persons was not escalating esteem of institutions and stressed upon General Bajwa to sort out this issue ahead of his soon coming date of retirement. If he sorts out the issue, the distressed mothers, sisters and daughters will pray for him which ultimately will raise his status among the former army chiefs.