ISLAMABAD, May 15: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif said the situation of missing persons’ relatives in Pakistan was not different from those in Palestine.

He said this while talking to relatives of missing persons at a gathering  on Tuesday in which 101 cheques worth Rs5.6 million were distributed among them in Islamabad.

Chaudhry Nisar, Raja Zafarul Haq, Ishaq Dar, Hanif Abbasi, Chaudhry Tanveer, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Chairperson, Defence of Human Rights Amina Masood Janjua and others were also present on the occasion.

The PML-N chief said  Palestinians were being kidnapped and detained by  Israelis but in Pakistan, they were facing brutalities at the hands of their own people.

However, he announced that he would take up the matter with Punjab chief minister so that monthly assistance could be provided to relatives of missing persons.

Mr Sharif said he could not understand who had authorised certain elements to kidnap Pakistani citizens.

“If there are some allegations against the missing persons, they should be produced in courts and should be allowed to meet their relatives,” he said.

During the distribution, most of the relatives of missing persons were crying and condition of Fahmida Bibi, who had come from Bahawalpur and her three sons were missing, became serious. She was shifted to a hospital in an ambulance. On the instruction of Nawaz Sharif, MNA Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also went in the same ambulance to ensure her proper treatment.

Mother of Mudassar Iqbal refused to accept the cheque and started crying.

While talking to Dawn she said that her son (who is father of eight children) went missing from Lahore about 15 months ago.

She said that he used to give religious education at his house and had nothing to do with terrorism.