Govt announces Rs5m ‘support package’ for each family of missing persons

Sun, August 04, 2024

The government on Friday announced a Rs5 million “support package” per family of missing persons, which would provide them with legal and financial assistance, the law minister said.

Earlier this week, the government notified a three-member committee comprising top intelligence officials to help with the recovery of missing persons, after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had ordered it to do so in February.

Addressing a press briefing in Islamabad, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that a report, based on the findings of two previous cabinet committees, had been presented to the cabinet committee for missing persons during the caretaker government’s tenure. He added that the report was presented before the federal cabinet today and some of its salient recommendations have been approved.

He said that families of missing person face several economic problems, therefore, in view of those issues, the cabinet had decided to provide an urgent support to them after due diligence.

“A special committee will be formed to determine which families need an immediate support package, after which each [eligible] family will receive Rs5 million,” Tarar said.

Tarar detailed that more than 2,000 cases “determined by legal mechanisms were facing some hardships”, and of which 1,000 would be prioritised on a first come, first serve basis, beyond a five-year limit.

However, he did not specify the number of families that would be provided with the support package.

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