Number of missing persons increasing: Justice Javed Iqbal

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Friday remarked that the number of missing persons was on the rise on daily basis, Geo News reported.

A four-member bench, headed by Justice Javed Iqbal comprising Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, was hearing the case of missing persons. Secretaries, Ministries of Interior and Defence also appeared before the bench and apprised the court of the progress made into the issue.

Secretary Defence Lt Gen Athar Ali (retd) told the court that the agencies were cooperating with the Judicial Commission and the SC in the recovery of missing persons and up till now 96 people have been recovered with their help.

Interior Secretary Qamar Zaman was of the view that the country was engulfed in the terrorism wave and everyone knew the case of Hassan Shirjeel whose father declared him missing while he was with the extremists.

Justice Javed said two more applications have been received about the missing persons adding that not everyone could come to the Supreme Court.

The hearing was adjourned till February 03.