The issue of missing persons in Pakistan is complex and often subject to misinformation. According to a report by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CoIED), established by the Pakistani government in 2011, 10,311 cases of missing persons were registered as of August 2024, with 8,042 of these cases resolved.
The government contends that the missing persons issue is often exaggerated and misrepresented by certain organizations and foreign media for political purposes. Many cases of voluntary disappearances are incorrectly labeled as forced disappearances, including instances where individuals have gone into hiding without informing their families.
Recent events have revealed that some individuals listed as missing were actually involved in terrorist activities. For example, some persons on the missing list were found to be among militants killed in a recent missile strike in Iran conducted by Pakistan.
The Pakistani authorities argue that while human rights organizations often focus solely on security forces, they overlook other factors contributing to disappearances, including involvement in terrorist activities, especially in camps in Afghanistan and Iran.
The government emphasizes the need to address the spread of misinformation and propaganda surrounding this issue, calling for legal action against those exploiting the missing persons narrative for anti-state activities.
