In the dark: Another protest walk held by families of missing persons

MINGORA:

Hundreds of women on Friday convened the second protest walk in a week over the alleged illegal detention of their men in Swat.

The protesters walked from Kanju in Kabal tehsil to Grassy Ground, Mingora – covering a distance of five kilometers. The women accused law enforcement agencies of illegally detaining their men, adding they were unaware of their loved ones’ whereabouts even after four years. The protesters said neither the government nor security forces were telling them where the missing men were.

Women held pictures and identity cards of their missing relatives, demanding their safe return. The demonstrators said they didn’t even know if their family members were alive or dead.

Protesters also critcised elected representatives and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government over their inaction. They appealed to the chief justices of Pakistan and Peshawar High Court to take suo motu notice and initiate an inquiry in order to obtain information about their missing relatives.

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