KARACHI: Relatives of 12 young men, who had allegedly gone missing near Hyderabad Tuesday night en route a friend’s marriage ceremony, staged a sit-in at the city’s Gulistan-e-Johar area on Wednesday to lodge their protest.

The relatives, mostly women and children, gathered around noon at Perfume Chowk and blocked the multi-lane road for traffic, setting fire to tyres.

Gulshan Superintendent of Police Abid Qaimkhani said following talks, the protesters had agreed to vacate one lane for traffic.

Later in the night, nine of the 'missing men' returned to their homes in Gulistan-e-Johar area.

“At least nine missing young men have reached their homes here in the city,” confirmed Gulshan SP, Abid Qaimkhani.

The Gulshan SP hoped that whereabouts of remaining missing may be known on Thursday (today).

SP Qaimkhani said relatives of the missing individuals had submitted an application with regards to the disappearance of their loved ones at the Shahra-e-Faisal police station.

In the application, they claim their missing relatives were on their way to attend a marriage ceremony in Hyderabad when they were intercepted by unknown men who forcibly disembarked them from their bus and took them away.

Since then, the applicants claim, the whereabouts of those ‘abducted’ are unknown. The Gulshan SP went on to say that the incident did not occur in his jurisdiction, and the matter would be referred to the concerned police station in Hyderabad.

Almost all of the disappeared individuals are residents of Noman Grand City in Gulistan-e-Johar.

Meanwhile, the MQM coordination committee in a statement said the 12 “missing men” were party workers and supporters; four of those allegedly abducted were MQM workers, it said, while the others were supporters.

The MQM Rabita Committee said Waleed Kamal and Shayan Rehman were party office-bearers of unit-B in Gulistan-e-Johar sector, while Yasir Kazmi and Sajid Usmani were workers.

Others gone missing are supporters identified as Adil, Raheel Khan, Asad Raza, Saad Hashmi, Adeel Mirza, Wasim, Rehan and Junaid Ali.

The MQM statement said the 12 “workers and supporters” were on board three vehicles and were going to attend a marriage ceremony. The last contact they made with their families was around 10:30 pm on Tuesday.

The party has urged the prime minister, interior minister, Sindh chief minister and home minister to take measures for the early and safe recovery of its men.

Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal took notice of the protest and the following MQM press conference and has directed the IG to take immediate measures to trace the missing men.