PESHAWAR  - Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday gave a last chance to the authorities to present a complete list of missing persons by December 4, otherwise action would be taken against them.
During the hearing of 57 missing persons’ case, the two-member bench of the PHC, comprising Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Seth Waqar, said that it was the responsibility of the courts to award punishment. He pointed out that the COAS had also made it clear that an accused could not be described as a convict.
The Defence Ministry told the court that the number of missing persons was being exaggerated and assured the bench of cooperating with it in the case.
The chief justice said that 1,100 persons had been released, but still 1,095 people were in the internment centres. He directed the authorities that a joint meeting of the security agencies, field commanders, unit commanders, the chief secretary, the home secretary and the FATA additional chief secretary be convened to prepare a final list of all the missing persons.
He said those arrested with concrete proofs be produced in the courts and where there were insufficient proofs, police services be hired for investigation. He ordered immediate release of those against whom there were no proofs. The hearing was adjourned for December 11.