The government has initiated the ‘National Consensus & Legal Resolution (NCLR) of missing persons’ as it further strengthens the legal and protective measures to resolve the issue.

“The federal government has decided to empathise with the grief of families of ‘persons missing’ for over five years,” said in a statement on Friday.

An Rs5 million grant would be provided to address the financial difficulties of every missing person’s family.

“Today’s initiative should not be seen as the state or its institutions accepting any responsibility. Instead, it is a sincere and maternal approach of the state,” stated the official handout titled ‘National Consensus and Legal Resolution’ of missing persons.

According to the state, it was an effort to alleviate the difficulties of the affected families and share their grief. It added that there were “multiple and complex reasons” behind ‘missing persons’

“The state is not responsible for ‘missing persons’ but is empathising with the grief of affected families. The state is like a mother,” it said and described it as a “sincere and commendable step” by the state and its institutions despite allegations.

The sanctity and protection of every citizen’s life was important in Pakistan, the statement said and added that the state was fulfilling its responsibility to ensure such a matter.

The issue was discussed in the cabinet meeting, it stated. Pakistan has taken measures to resolve the issue of missing persons

Many of such cases have been resolved through the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances. “The state is determined to resolve the issue of missing persons by utilising all available resources.”