Missing persons families continue protest as govt assurances remain futile

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— PPP leaders say Bilawal is taking issue seriously

KARACHI: In a rare turn up, the Sindh government assured the protesting families of the missing persons who are under the banner of Voice for Missing Persons Sindh (VMPS) for the safe recovery of their loved ones employ its efforts to trace all the missing persons in Sindh.

In this regard, Sindh Minister for Home Affairs Sohail Anwar Siyal along with Sindh Minister for Labour and Human Resources and Information Syed Nasir Hussain Shah on Monday visited the camp of the protesting families outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC)

While listening to the grievances of the families of the missing persons, the ministers assured that they would talk to higher authorities for tracing out all those missing as Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto taking this matter seriously.

While carrying banners and placards, the families of the missing persons led by Sorath Lohar, Tanveer Arijo and Sasui Lohar gathered outside KPC and staged a protest camp for the recovery of their loved ones.

The camp has been set up on the call of VMPS, a volunteer group struggling for safe recovery of those allegedly picked by law enforcement agencies.

Heavy contingent of Sindh police, Rangers and plain clothes personnel were seen roaming around the protesters.

“Around 150 persons including 60 political workers and Sindhi nationalists have gone missing for unknown reasons and now families are unable to locate their whereabouts compelling us to hold a demonstration demanding safe and immediate release,” a young girl whose father has been missing told Pakistan Today.

She said her brother was an active member of a Sindhi nationalist political party. Some of those who went missing recently have been identified as: Khadim Arejo, Hidayat Lohar, Sohail Bhatti, Raza Jarwar, Nangar Channa, Mukhtiar Almani, Shadi Khan Soomro, Ahmed Ali Bughio, and Munsoor Gurgez.

Among the participants of the camp were Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Vice Chairperson Sindh Asad Iqbal Butt as well as Sindhi nationalist leaders Dr Nayaz Kalani, Ameer Azad Panhwar, writer Inam Shaikh, Taj Joyo and activists of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM)-Bashir Khan group, JSQM-Arisar group, Jeay Sindh Tehreek, Awami Workers Party, and Sindhi Adabi Sangat.