LARKANA: Relatives of the missing persons allegedly taken away by security agencies held a demonstration along with rights activists outside the local press club on Thursday.

Ms Sorath Hidayat Lohar, the acting convener of the Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh, led the protesters, who took out a procession from the State Life Building in the city before converging on the press club.

Carrying banners and portraits of several missing persons, they raised slogans for the recovery of the victims.

They expressed concern over what they described as “enforced disappearance” of Punhal Sario, the convener of the protest organisers, Sabir Chandio, Khadim Arejo, Insaf Dayo, Ayoub Kandhro, Murtaza Junejo, Shahid Junejo, Mukhtiar Almani, Hidayat Lohar, Nangar Channa and other political and nationalist workers as well as writers.

They demanded the victims’ production in courts if they were wanted in connection with any crime.

Ms Lohar noted that relatives of the missing persons were living a miserable life as they were not sure about the well-being of their near ones. They did not even know if their near ones were alive, she added.

She appealed to the authorities concerned, rights organisations and international human rights forums to take notice of the cases of alleged enforced disappearances in Sindh and help the affected families get them recovered or at least know about their whereabouts.

The protesters included Zarina Almani, Aqsa Batool Dayo, Sanghar Arejo and other relatives of missing persons.

They appealed to the Sindh chief minister, home minister and heads of security agencies to help them find a clue to their missing family members if they were not picked up by law enforcers.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2017