MPAs voice concerns over UN missing persons’ inquiry

Expressing concerns over the arrival of United Nations’ mission to investigate the issue of enforced disappearances in the country, members of the parliament (MPAs) termed it the first step to disintegrate Pakistan.

On Monday, UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances held meetings with Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

MNA Raza Hayat Hiraj raised a question about mandate of the visiting UN mission on forceful disappearances in Balochistan, saying that this visit may compromise the sovereignty and solidarity of the state.

Criticizing the Foreign Office, he said that the visit by the UN working group was a big question over its performance.

He observed, “Who allowed the visit – who issued them visas – Who determined and approved the mandate of this team – is Pakistan a banana republic – this is a failure of the Foreign Office – when the parliamentary committee on Balochistan is working and the apex court has already taken cognizance of the situation, why such a team has been sent”.

He further said that it was also not clear which people the UN mission would hold meetings in the country, particularly in Balochistan.

In his view what was the need of such a visit by the UN working group when the country was being run by a democratic government and its apex court was independent.

He remarked, “Almost 99 percent of people in Balochistan support the federation. But there might one percent population whose bank accounts may be in Switzerland and whose families are residing abroad. These people might meet the visitors and paint a false picture representing Balochistan”.

The lawmakers disassociated him from the performance of the intelligent agencies, saying that he had never backed the malfunctioning of the secret departments.

He, however, said that nobody permitted Pakistan to send such a mission whenever a Pakistani was killed or held abroad on suspicion of terrorism and militancy.

Hiraj also sought permission by the chair to present an adjournment motion in the house to discuss the contentious issues due to senility of the issue.

In the meantime, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Manzoor Watto extended his support to the views expressed by Raza Hayat Hiraj. In his view, an adjournment motion may be brought to debate the issue which was of national significance.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Sep 11 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.