Missing persons' issue: PML-N submits draft resolution in National Assembly

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday submitted a draft resolution on the issue of missing persons in National Assembly, calling for formation of a parliamentary committee to take up the matter.
In the draft resolution, the major opposition party has raised serious questions on the conduct of intelligence agencies and asked the government to resolve the issue at the earliest to ensure credibility of national secret agencies, earning a bad name for their alleged role in disappearing of the people on suspicion that they might have connections with the terrorist and banned outfits.
The move came at the time when families of the missing persons have set up a protest camp in front of the parliament where they have been protesting for weeks against the disappearance of the dear ones. According to the resolution, the party has proposed that eight-member parliamentary committee from both houses of the parliament should be constituted in consultation with Prime Minter, Opposition leader and Speaker National Assembly to take up the matter.
It stated that the committee should approach the families of missing persons, security institutions and intelligence agencies and submit its findings in the house within two months. The resolution also suggested that legislation should be made in the parliament to define the role of security and intelligence agencies, adding that the law should be made in the light of decisions of Supreme Court, findings of Saleem Shehzad Commission and views of families of missing persons.
It is noted that despite the immense sacrifices rendered by the security and intelligence agencies, the disappearances of people are being given these institutions bad name nationally as well as internationally. The resolution expressed grave concern over the continuing spree of missing persons and felt that the whole house feels the gravity of the situation.
The forced disappearances of people in Balochistan has also turned the crisis in the province at alarming proportions, as questions are raising over the conduct of the security agencies in the province. It may be mentioned that the Senate also unanimously passed a resolution on Wednesday expressing concern over the issue of missing persons and demanding that the federal and provincial government take steps for their recovery.