August 30, 2025
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
The federal government has constituted a special committee to provide legal aid to families of missing persons, in what it described as an attempt to address long-standing grievances of relatives who struggle with bureaucratic and legal hurdles alongside the trauma of enforced disappearances.
According to a press release issued on Friday, the committee will assist families whose cases are being investigated by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (COIED). The support will focus on family law-related issues, including matters involving the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), property transfers, and inheritance disputes.
Scope of the special committee
The government notification stated that families facing issues, particularly with respect to the issuance of Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) or Form-B documents by NADRA, could directly approach the special committee.
Complaints may be submitted in writing through email at [coioed@gmail.com] or [coio
Officials confirmed that the four-member body would be headed by Justice (retd) Arshad Hussain Shah, the new chairperson of the COIED. The committee also includes senior representatives from the ministries of defence, interior, and human rights.
Last year, the government had announced a financial support package of Rs5 million per family of missing persons to provide both legal and financial relief. The creation of a dedicated legal aid committee is being presented as a continuation of those measures.
Struggle for families continues
Despite the government’s announcement, human rights groups argue that families of missing persons remain mired in legal complications. Many find themselves unable to obtain CNICs for their children or claim rights to family property in the absence of the missing relative.
“Alongside the emotional trauma of losing loved ones, families face crippling legal challenges. Without formal recognition of the status of the disappeared, they are often unable to access property, inheritance, or even essential documentation,” said Amina Masood Janjua, chairperson of the Defence of Human Rights (DHR), an advocacy group representing families of the disappeared.
She pointed out that some countries address such issues by issuing a formal ‘certificate of disappearance’ to families, enabling them to settle inheritance or property disputes without years of uncertainty.
‘Committee cannot handle thousands of requests’
While acknowledging that the formation of the special committee is a positive step, Janjua expressed doubts about its capacity to handle the volume of cases.
“With over 10,592 cases registered with the COIED since its inception, the special committee will be inundated with requests. Any relief is likely to be painfully slow and sluggish,” she told Voicepk.
She also criticized the government for failing to consult with stakeholders. “Once again, this body was formed without input from families or organisations representing the disappeared. Past experiences show that when the government bypasses consultation, the measures end up ineffective in reducing the suffering of victims’ families,” she argued.
According to Janjua, the government announced reparations and compensation for families two years ago, yet only a single case has reportedly been processed so far. “Such delays erode trust in government promises,” she added.
Janjua suggested that NADRA should create a new category of “absent” alongside “living” and “deceased” in its registration system to facilitate heirs and children of missing persons in obtaining legal documents. She regretted that repeated requests for a meeting with the COIED chairman have gone unanswered, despite the need for greater coordination between the commission and affected families.
The announcement of the special legal aid body comes shortly after the federal government reconstituted the COIED in July. Justice (retd) Arshad Hussain Shah, former chief justice of the Gilgit-Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court, was appointed as its new chairman. Other members include Justice (retd) Nazar Akbar for Sindh, Justice (retd) Amanullah Yasinzai for Balochistan, retired Judge Muhammad Bashir for Islamabad, and Justice (retd) Syed Afsar Shah for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The inclusion of members from across provinces was intended to strengthen provincial representation and streamline case handling. Since assuming office, Justice Shah has sought to accelerate the commission’s work, disposing of 70 cases in July while registering 15 new complaints.
According to COIED data, a total of 10,607 cases have been received since the commission was established in 2011. By July 31, 2025, 8,770 cases had been disposed of, while several thousand remain under investigation. In the first half of 2025 alone, 125 new cases were submitted.
Government’s compensation plan
In parallel, the COIED has also begun processing the government’s Rs5 million financial assistance package. The chairman chaired two meetings to review recommendations for disbursement of funds. However, civil society activists argue that progress has been limited and implementation remains sluggish.
Justice Shah has also conducted hearings in Lahore and Karachi, personally listening to more than 50 cases. He met with the interior secretaries and police chiefs of Punjab, Sindh, KP, and Islamabad, pressing them to ensure timely reports from joint investigation teams and provincial task forces.
Enforced disappearances remain one of Pakistan’s most contentious human rights issues. The practice has been widely condemned by local and international rights organisations, who accuse state institutions of failing to hold perpetrators accountable.
The COIED was originally set up in 2011 to trace the whereabouts of missing persons and assign responsibility to individuals or organisations. While it has disposed of thousands of cases, rights groups argue that many “disposals” merely involve tracing the individual without accountability for those responsible.
On the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances earlier this week, Amnesty International and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan jointly called on Islamabad to criminalise enforced disappearances, end impunity, and ensure justice for victims and their families.
The government’s formation of a special legal aid committee signals recognition of the secondary challenges faced by families of missing persons — challenges that extend beyond the emotional burden to include legal and financial paralysis.
Yet, as rights advocates warn, without meaningful consultation, adequate resources, and political will, the new committee risks becoming another bureaucratic mechanism unable to address the scale of the crisis.