Missing persons case: compensation to families on the cards, Supreme Court told

The Supreme Court was informed on Thursday that a plan to award compensation to the families of missing persons was under active consideration of the government. Additional Attorney General K K Agha informed the two-member bench headed by Justice Javed Iqbal that the government had proposed to give Rs 60,000 as compensation to each family of the missing persons.
Agha told the bench that the interior ministry would constitute a committee to examine the missing persons' cases. He also mentioned that compensation had already been given to the heirs of those who had perished in target killing in Balochistan. Agha added that the government would submit final report regarding missing persons in June.
Justice Javed Iqbal expressed dissatisfaction over the fixing of amount for missing persons' families and observed that the proposed amount was very less and the government should raise the package to a respectable level. He said that Bait-ul-Maal fund should be utilised for this purpose. "I will personally consult secretary finance regarding this matter as well," Justice Javed Iqbal said, adding that the court was aware of the country's financial condition.
Meanwhile, the court directed the government to furnish progress report in the chronic cases of missing persons till mid of the June 2011. Justice Javed Iqbal observed that the progress of Intelligence Agencies was satisfactory but for the fault of a few the whole department could not be given bad name whereas at the same time he added that no body including agencies is above the law.
The court, while expressing its annoyance over the capital police for not registering the cases of two missing persons, directed the AAG to submit reply today (Friday). The court also drubbed the Intelligence Bureau's officer upon exercising unnecessary influence for release of his relative, who was allegedly involved in the abduction of a lady named Fatima. The court adjourned the hearing for two weeks.