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| India-Pakistan |
| Pakistan Criticized Over Missing Terrorists |
| 2007-01-09 |
| The Supreme Court on Monday criticized as insufficient efforts by authorities to trace at least 16 people believed to be held by Pakistani intelligence agencies for suspected links with Islamic militants. Judge Mian Shakirullah Jan, hearing a case brought by relatives of the missing, accused the government of wasting time. He said the efforts of "concerned authorities" to trace the missing "are not satisfactory" and urged them to "speed up." Human rights activists and relatives have been holding protest rallies for the past several months, demanding the release of dozens of men believed to have been clandestinely abducted by the Pakistani intelligence agencies. Relatives say the men have been held for periods ranging for months to several years with no opportunities for a hearing or to contact their families. In the case brought late last year before the Supreme Court, 41 people were alleged to be missing. Deputy Attorney General Nasir Saeed Sheikh told the court Monday that 25 of the people have been traced while 16 remained unaccounted for. "The Ministry of Interior has made very sincere efforts and left no stone unturned to trace the missing persons," he said. "The ministry would continue its efforts." Amna Janjua, who has spearheaded the case, said in court her husband was "still in the custody of (intelligence) agencies" - which Sheikh denied. Janjua said she had not been able to meet with any agency. The judge adjourned the case until Jan. 15. Pakistan, a key ally in the U.S.-led war on terror, says it has arrested about 700 al-Qaida suspects in the past five years, but is increasingly criticized by rights groups for secret detentions. First my car keys, now this. Maybe the wife remembers where I put them. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |