Federal cabinet approves financial assistance for families of missing persons

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Friday approved a support package for the families of the missing persons under which they would be given financial of Rs5 million and legal assistance.

Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar said that each family of the missing persons would be given a grant of Rs5 million to address their financial troubles.

Addressing a press conference, the minister said that the federal cabinet had approved the recommendations of two committees on missing persons. It has also been decided to take measures including giving relief and legislation to stop the incidents of disappearances in the future, he said.

The law minister said that the cabinet has decided to constitute a committee to prepare a mechanism for financial assistance to the affected families.

The government clarified that this move should not be interpreted as an admission of responsibility by the state or its institutions but as a sincere and compassionate effort to share the pain of the affected families.

Furthermore, the National Database Regulatory Authority (NADRA) and revenue authorities would be given instructions to address the problems of these families related to heirship and property.

Azam Nazeer said that the government has taken strict actions to resolve the issue of missing persons. A number of cases were addressed through the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CoIED), he said.