Published on: August 24, 2025 12:27 PM
Supreme Court Justice Athar Minallah has stressed that Pakistan urgently needs an independent judiciary and fearless judges to safeguard fundamental rights. Speaking at a human rights event, he said courts are helpless in missing persons cases if the state itself is involved, adding that this reality remains one of the country’s biggest challenges.
Justice Minallah lamented that speaking the truth has always been difficult in Pakistan, with those who do so often facing hatred. He termed enforced disappearance cases as the most painful, highlighting that Baloch families, especially women and children, continue to cry for justice on the streets while institutions refuse to admit the seriousness of the issue.
He reminded the audience that every Supreme Court judge is responsible for rights violations in the country. Recalling his past judgments on missing persons, Minallah said he had clearly stated that no leniency should ever be shown to any government officer involved in such cases, stressing accountability is the state’s foremost duty.
The top court judge pointed out that citizens from across the country once approached the Islamabad High Court because they trusted its independent judges. He revealed that students from Balochistan brought cases before him even though his court technically had no jurisdiction, proving their lack of faith in other forums.
Justice Minallah also recalled that he had written to the Chief Justice about rights violations but nothing was done. He emphasized that the government and judiciary both avoid acknowledging missing persons as a national issue, while political leaders change their stance after moving to the opposition, showing a lack of sincerity.
Concluding his remarks, Justice Minallah said Pakistan’s history shows that truth has been suppressed for 77 years. He urged all institutions, especially the judiciary, to finally speak the truth and confront the issue of enforced disappearances honestly, as only then real change can come.
