Human Rights Minister Riaz Pirzada has downplayed the issue of enforced disappearances, saying that the Baloch get enraged over abductions because the 'tribal system' of Balochistan turns the disappearances into a matter of 'honour' while ignoring if the abducted individual was guilty or not.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA issued this statement during an interview he gave to Dawn News, whereby he was asked about the reality of the case of Baloch enforced disappearances in light of all the recent protests going on in the country.
"Baloch have a tribal system, and in that system, when one person goes missing, it becomes a matter of respect and honor for the whole tribe," he said, adding that in that case the tribe of the abducted person doesn't pay attention to whether or not he may have been guilty.
"But if it is said to them that this person was engaged in illegal activity, then that also is problematic for their egos, and they think that they are being accused," he said, attributing this to the 'tribal system'.
At this the interviewer asked, "So then do you consider their reservations to be genuine?"
Riaz Pirzada said, "Yes of course they must be genuine," adding that he hasn't ever investigated their claims, nor is he the investigating authority.
During the interview he also said, “Some of these missing persons have been killed in terrorist activities, and some were engaged by Kulbhushan Jadhav or neighbouring countries."
Defending the security forces, he said, “There has been criticism when the state forces take actions. People start protesting and missing persons issue surfaced," adding that he thinks the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) should deal with the issue of missing persons as opposed to a commission.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA issued this statement during an interview he gave to Dawn News, whereby he was asked about the reality of the case of Baloch enforced disappearances in light of all the recent protests going on in the country.
"Baloch have a tribal system, and in that system, when one person goes missing, it becomes a matter of respect and honor for the whole tribe," he said, adding that in that case the tribe of the abducted person doesn't pay attention to whether or not he may have been guilty.
"But if it is said to them that this person was engaged in illegal activity, then that also is problematic for their egos, and they think that they are being accused," he said, attributing this to the 'tribal system'.
At this the interviewer asked, "So then do you consider their reservations to be genuine?"
Riaz Pirzada said, "Yes of course they must be genuine," adding that he hasn't ever investigated their claims, nor is he the investigating authority.
During the interview he also said, “Some of these missing persons have been killed in terrorist activities, and some were engaged by Kulbhushan Jadhav or neighbouring countries."
Defending the security forces, he said, “There has been criticism when the state forces take actions. People start protesting and missing persons issue surfaced," adding that he thinks the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) should deal with the issue of missing persons as opposed to a commission.