ISLAMABAD, May 14: National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza has constituted a special committee on missing persons.

According to a notification issued by the NA secretariat here on Monday, the committee will comprise MNAs Abdul Qadir Patel, Dr Attiya Inayatuallah, Sajid Ahmed, Himayatullah Mayar, Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Engineer Khurram Dastagir Khan, Naseer Bhutta and Maulana Ataur Rehman.

The committee has been mandated to investigate the issue of missing persons.

On March 14, the National Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution calling for a comprehensive law to regulate intelligence and security agencies often blamed for disappearances and extra-judicial killings of dissidents.

The resolution said the National Assembly was “deeply disturbed over the plight of the families of persons who have been missing for long periods” and noted that allegations of “acts of omissions, complicity and concealment” against state agencies were tarnishing their image at home and abroad despite their “tremendous sacrifices in the defence and security of Pakistan”.

It called upon the government to “ensure prevalence of the rule of law” and demanded implementation of Supreme Court’s observations and recommendations of the Commission of Enquiry on Enforced Disappearances for the “enactment of necessary legislation to resolve the problems of missing persons”.

The resolution authorised the NA speaker to constitute an eight-member special committee in consultation with the prime minister and the leader of opposition, with equal representation of both sides of the house, to “monitor progress in this regard”.

The committee, it said, would submit its recommendations within two months about “additional measures required” after meeting representatives of families of missing persons and victims of terrorism and getting briefings by “the concerned intelligence and security agencies”.

Talking to Dawn, Amina Masood Janjua, chairperson of the Defence of Human Rights, said she had not lost hope but it appeared difficult that missing persons would be recovered. She said she had been on the road and visiting the Supreme Court for several years for the recovery of missing persons but the issue could not be resolved.

“Anyhow it is a good step, but it will be measured through committee’s performance. Some missing persons were recovered but the case of my husband is yet to be solved,” she said.