IHC seeks whereabouts of over 50 Pakistanis missing abroad
IHC seeks whereabouts of over 50 Pakistanis missing abroad
The Islamabad High Court has issued a notice to the federal government in a case about Pakistanis missing abroad, seeking a report from the Assistant Attorney General on a petition for the trace and safe return of more than 50 citizens who disappeared overseas over the past three years.
Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir issued the notice while hearing a petition filed by Afzal Hussain, a resident of Phalia tehsil in Mandi Bahauddin district. The judge directed the AAG to examine the matter and submit a report at the next hearing on November 2.
What the petition on Pakistanis missing abroad asks
The petitioner approached the court through his counsel, Shafqat Abbas Tarar, seeking the recovery of more than 50 young men from the area who reportedly travelled abroad but have not been traced since their departure.
The counsel told the court that over the past three years, more than 50 young men from the area had gone abroad, but their whereabouts remained unknown. He said they had travelled through unconventional means, a phrase often used for irregular migration routes arranged through agents rather than legal channels.
The petition asked the court to direct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to initiate consular inquiries in the countries concerned and to instruct Pakistani embassies and consulates to take steps to trace the missing citizens.
It also sought directions for the examination of available immigration, travel and other relevant records to establish the circumstances in which the citizens travelled abroad and determine their whereabouts.
The counsel further requested that the authorities be directed to initiate legal proceedings if any criminal activity was established, and to take appropriate measures to ensure the safe return of the missing Pakistanis.
Court directs report by November 2
During the proceedings, the court summoned the AAG to the rostrum and asked him to examine the matter and submit a report by the next hearing. The court then issued a formal notice to the federal government and adjourned further proceedings until November 2.
The case highlights a recurring problem: young men from Punjab’s smaller towns and villages who leave for work abroad through agents, after which their families lose all contact. Without official travel records or consular traces, such cases are difficult for both families and the state to pursue.
What happens next
The Assistant Attorney General must examine the petition and file a report before November 2. The court’s directions could then extend to the Foreign Ministry, immigration authorities and Pakistani missions abroad, depending on what the report establishes about how the men left the country.
Frequently asked questions
Who filed the petition about missing Pakistanis?
Afzal Hussain, a resident of Phalia tehsil in Mandi Bahauddin district, filed the petition through his counsel Shafqat Abbas Tarar, seeking the recovery of more than 50 young men from the area.
How did the 50 Pakistanis go missing abroad?
The petition says the young men travelled abroad over the past three years through unconventional means, meaning irregular routes rather than legal channels, and their whereabouts have remained unknown since.
What has the IHC ordered?
Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir issued a notice to the federal government and directed the Assistant Attorney General to examine the matter and submit a report at the next hearing on November 2.
