January 3, 2003	Friday	Shawwal 29, 1423

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LARKANA, Jan 2: Khidmat-i-Masoomeen chief Anwar Khokhar has disclosed that a network of different gangs, involved in kidnapping and trade of children, existed in upper Sindh.

Talking to this correspondent on Thursday, he said that the gangs were operating from the villages of Mahi Makool, Arija and Ghulam Bhutto (near Pir Sher) of Larkana district, and Sobhodero and Khari Shaikh of Khairpur district.

He said that the gangs had developed a network almost in the entire province.

He said that the members of the gangs had roots in even small villages, where they kept the kidnapped children, whose age ranged between two to 10 years.

He revealed that a man of Bhatti cast, hailing from Daraza (Khairpur), was involved in child trafficking. He said that Bhatti often visited a den in Khari Shaikh near Sobhodero and purchased children from the kidnappers.

He said that the gangsters used some sort of perfume, medicated toffees or anaesthesia, which made children loose their senses within seconds.

The gangs, Khokhar said, also used women to kidnap children.

To a question, he said that year 2002 remained a troublesome year for the children of Larkana district as 640 children had gone missing during the year. However, he added, with the efforts of his trust, the missing children had been reunited with their families.

He said that during the year, 21 children had either been killed or died in gutters and the Rice Canal while 10 children had been kidnapped.

Of the kidnapped children, nine were recovered whereas the tenth, Rahim Bakhsh Chandio, still remained untraced, he said.

Khokhar, who voluntarily works for recovering missing children, was awarded Tamgha-i-Imtiaz in year 2002.

pensioners: Continuing their protest, a group of retired employees of the municipal administration observed a hunger strike at the gate of the district council hall here on Thursday.

Mohammad Ali Shaikh, who led the protest, said 257 retired employees had not been paid their pension dues for the last 10 months.