PESHAWAR: The relatives of scores of ‘missing persons’ on Tuesday expressed concerns over the prolonged disappearance of their family members and demanded of the government to present them in courts for fair trial.

Addressing a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club, a group of people, including women and children, belonging to Swat alleged that their relatives were picked from homes and workplaces during 2009-10 but they were yet to be presented before any court.

Sharing details with journalists, Syed Qamar Ali Shah, Gul Naaz, Ibrahim, Shamim Bibi, Hazrat Said and others said they visited the offices of all relevant officials for safe recovery of their missing relatives, but to no avail.

They said courts had ordered release of 270 people but many of them were not released so far.

They said the missing persons also included underage boys, who were students of different schools and colleges. They said eight of the missing persons belonged to the same family.

However, they said some of the missing persons were in the custody and their families were allowed to meet them from a distance of eight feet only for few minutes.

The relatives of the missing persons also held a protest demonstration outside the press club and chanted slogans for safe recovery of their near and dear ones.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2021