Swat missing persons: Women, children protest against enforced disappearances

Demonstrators chant slogans, hold pictures and identity cards of their missing relatives.

PESHAWAR:

Women and children from Swat protested outside the Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, demanding the safe recovery of their missing relatives, some of whom disappeared four years ago.

The protesters chanted slogans and held pictures and national identity cards of their missing family members. Sher Shah Suri Road remained blocked for an hour due to the demonstration.

The road was reopened after the police reached the scene. During the protest, a woman fell unconscious due to severe anger and grief and was treated inside the press club premises.

Missing person Muhammad Ghani’s sister told The Express Tribune that her brother has been missing for four years. Ghani hails from Kabal Tehsil of the district. She said that his case has been registered at the Peshawar High Court and the Supreme Court, but nothing has come out of it as yet.

“I belong to a poor family and my brother was the only source of income for his five daughters and three sons,” she said, adding that they cannot afford the travelling expenses for court hearings.

Another woman from Bara Bande in the district said her son has been missing since 2009 and vowed to continue her struggle until he is recovered. She said that people in Swat want peace and demanded the government to gear up its efforts for recovering missing persons.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2013.