Protest demo: Govt asked to expedite recovery of abducted Wapda employees

Family members ask president, prime minister to intervene.

ISLAMABAD: Families of the eight employees of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) who were abducted by the Taliban from South Waziristan Agency have appealed to the president and the prime minister for recovery of their loved ones.

Holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands, they held a protest demonstration outside the National Press Club on Wednesday, urging the government to speed up the recovery efforts.

“Perhaps our voices were ignored earlier. Today we want to make sure they reach the corridors of power,” said Ikramullah, one of the protestors.



A majority of those who participated in the demonstration were children of the abducted employees.

Eight Wapda employees, including Sub-divisional Officer Shahid Ali and Junior Technician Sanullah Khan, were abducted by the Taliban while returning home for Eidul Fitr from the construction site of Gomal Zam Dam on August 16.

The Taliban have demanded Rs160 million as ransom along with the release of 17 high-profile militants from prison.

Muhammad Bilal criticised the government for its failure to protect the lives of citizens. “It has been over four months since my father my abducted and I don’t even know if he is still alive,” said Bilal.

He pointed out that the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on December 12 had directed officials of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) Secretariat to ensure recovery of the employees within seven days “at all costs” but nothing has been done so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2012.