September 10, 2025
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
Out of 10,618 cases of missing persons registered in 14 years, the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (COIED) has closed 2,064 cases after concluding that they do not fall under enforced disappearances. The data has been made public by the Commission in September.
The Commission specifies that above 20 percent of missing persons cases were disposed of over 14 years, listing reasons as not being a case of enforced disappearance, withdrawal of complaints, and non-prosecution.
‘Gone on his own’
In August, the Commission disposed of 86 cases of missing persons, declaring them not to be enforced disappearances with remarks that the missing person had gone on his own, or was said to be a terrorist facilitator, or there was no record of the missing person in the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), or lack of participation and disinterest by the complainants.
The Commission, in earlier press statements, clarified that it would not pursue cases of missing individuals that have no record in NADRA, implying that enforced disappearances of foreign nationals, mostly Afghan refugees or nationals living in Pakistan, would not be taken up by the commission.
In August, the COIED disposed of the case of Jahangir, son of Khan Khel, a resident of Bara tehsil of Jamrud district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The family reported him missing since June 26, 2014. In its remarks the commission noted that ‘there is nothing on record to infer that any government agency is involved in the disappearance of Jahangir’, adding that IB reported that he was a facilitator of (proscribed terrorist outfit) Lasthar-e-Islam. “The case has thoroughly been investigated and examined through JIT. Both arrived at the conclusion that the Missing Person has gone on his own and there is nothing on record to infer that any government agency is involved in the disappearance of Jahangir. All stakeholders have denied arrest/custody of the Missing Person and IB reported that he was facilitator of Lasthar-e-Islam. Hence not a case of enforced disappearance. The case is closed.”
Similarly, the case of Muhammad Nawaz, a resident of Malakand district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was disposed of as not being an enforced disappearance with the remarks that the missing person has gone on his own. The family reported him missing since August 8, 2016.
“In this case, eight JIT meetings were convened and ultimately on 13.7.2020 JIT opined that missing person has gone on his own. PTF also agreed that it is a case of voluntary disappearance. IO (Investigation Officer) has recorded statements of fifteen witnesses uls 161 CrPC but no EW (eyewitness) of the occurrence could be found in the case. All stakeholders denied arrest/custody of the Missing Person. Hence, it cannot be inferred to be a case of enforced disappearance and stands closed,” COIED wrote in its remarks disposing of case of Muhammad Nawaz.
4790 missing persons reunited with families; no officials held accountable
Interestingly, roughly half of the 10,000 missing persons reported to the Commission have returned home since the its formation in 2011. Out of 4,790 missing persons reunited with their families, 2,155 belonged to Balochistan; 912 were residents of Punjab; 812 were from Sindh; 689 came from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP); 208 lived in Islamabad; 13 were residents of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and one person was a resident of Gilgit Baltistan (GB).
However in not even one case since its formation has the Commission held any public official accountable.
For instance, the COIED disposed of the case of Aurangzeb, reportedly missing since 2011, after his brother told the Commission in August 2025 that his sibling had returned home. The case was closed after his family members said they did not want to proceed further in the matter.
“The complaint was filed before the Commission on July 14 2011 by Muhammad Salem against the abduction of his nephew Aurangzeb, son of Abdul Mannan. At the hearing held on first August, Imran Khan, son of Abdul Mannan, appeared before the Commission and submitted that his brother Aurangzeb has come back. Therefore, they do not want to proceed further in the matter. No further action is required. The case is closed,” said the report.
1,700 found in secret detention centers
Surprisingly, the commission was able to track down around 1,725 missing persons, finding them incarcerated in internment centres and prisons.
According to the Commission, 1,019 missing persons were found detained in internment centres formed under the Action in Aid of Civil Power Regulations enforced in KP in the wake of terrorism and militancy across the erstwhile federally administered areas (FATA) and incorporated in the province as merged tribal districts along the border with Afghanistan. COIED, however, did not disclose the period of detention or when the missing persons were released from the internment centres. KP topped the list with 812 missing residents found incarcerated in internment centres, followed by Punjab with 96 residents; 41 from Sindh; 21 from Islamabad, 2 from Balochistan, 3 from AJK, and a lone person from Gilgit Baltistan. The government has not yet disclosed the number of detainees in these internment centres or their locations.
Similarly, 706 missing persons were found to be detained in prisons across the country due to criminal cases lodged against them. Out of the total individuals in jails, 271 were from Sindh; 201 from Punjab; 147 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; 29 from Balochistan, 44 from Islamabad, and 14 from AJK.
294 missing persons traced to graves, questions remain
In 14 years, the COIED found that 294 reported missing individuals have died, but it did not list whether these individuals died in custody or other circumstances, closing their case with the remark that the missing persons were traced.
In its press release in September, the COIED mentioned the case of Muhammad Yousaf, a resident of Swat, who had been missing since 2009. The COIED disposed of the case with the remark ‘missing person traced’ after coming to know that he had died. The commission did not say when the missing person died, and closed the case based on statements of close relatives about the person’s death.
“The case remained under investigation, and consequently it was found to be a case of enforced disappearance, later it transpired that the missing person, Muhammad Yousaf, died his natural death. The Joint Investigation Team was directed to hold another meeting to ascertain replies to specific points raised by the commission. Keeping in view the statement of close relatives, it was confirmed that Muhammad Yousaf has died. Accordingly, the case stands disposed of. Production Order and Review Petition became infructuous and stand disposed of,” reads the remarks given by the COIED.
COIED disposed of 103 cases of missing persons in August 2025, bringing the total to 8,873 cases resolved in over 14 years.
“Of 10,618 cases of missing persons, 8,873 have been disposed of from March 2011 to August 2025. This works out to 83.56 per cent of the total cases,” the Commission said in a press release issued on September 9.
According to its monthly report, COIED disposed of 103 cases and registered 11 new ones during August this year. Of the 8,873 cases disposed of, the whereabouts of 6,809 persons have been traced. The remaining 1,745 cases are still under investigation at the commission’s registries in Islamabad, Karachi, Quetta and Lahore.
The Commission said its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa registry is expected to become functional in the third week of this month. It has also launched hearings via video link, which according to the press release, saves families and stakeholders’ time and expense of travelling to Islamabad.
COIED Chairman Arshad Hussain says he has been making frequent visits to different stations, to expedite disposal of cases and provide justice at the doorstep of aggrieved families.