The Government of Pakistan is on the verge of implementing a pivotal policy, the National Consensus & Legal Resolution (NCLR) on Missing Persons (MPs), aimed at ameliorating the plight of families affected by enforced disappearances. This policy proposes a financial allocation of 2.5 million rupees to each household enduring the trauma of a missing family member. Despite the emergence of critical viewpoints, this initiative should be critically examined as a strategic and compassionate endeavor designed to mitigate familial suffering and reinforce the state’s fiduciary responsibilities.
The NCLR embodies a profound and empathetic intervention by the state, distinguished from traditional notions of compensation by its nature as a rehabilitation grant. This grant is not intended to serve as a financial equivalent for the irreplaceable loss of human life but rather as an acknowledgment of the enduring economic hardships faced by the families of missing persons. By extending this support, the government aims to alleviate some of the tangible economic burdens these families have faced, thus reflecting a nuanced approach that respects the gravity of their personal losses while addressing their practical needs.
It is crucial to delineate the NCLR from conventional compensation frameworks. The policy is not a tacit admission of guilt or a means of........