PESHAWAR, March 8: International Women’s Day was observed here on Thursday amid woeful tales narrated by victims of Swara, rape, harassment and violence and painful stories about ‘forced disappearances’ of people and those who were killed in suicide bombings.

Victims, parents and relatives of the disappeared persons narrated their painful stories during ‘mock trials’ in an open court organised by the Alliance for Protection of Human Rights (APHR) in connection with the International Women’s Day. The theme of the open court held at the Peshawar Press Club was “Pakistani aurat ka muqadma banaam sarkar”.

A documentary titled “Shades of Opinion” produced by Samar Minallah was also screened on the occasion, showing opinions of people from all walks of life. They criticised the government for poor law and order and rising suicide bombing incidents.

Forced disappearances: Three testimonies were recorded during the session presided by I.A. Rehman, director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and Shamim Shahid, a senior journalist.

Sadique-ur-Rehman, father of Atiq-ur-Rehman of Abbotabad, who has been missing for more than a year, said that his son was picked up on the day of his wedding by the intelligence agencies, although he had no association with any political or religious group.

The mother of Rehman said that they had approached Defence Minister Rao Sikander Iqbal, but he told them to be quiet on the matter. She alleged that her son was in the custody of intelligence agencies.

Idrees, father of Mansoor Mehdi, said that his son, a BSc student, had been missing since September 16, 2005 on his way from Rawalpindi to Peshawar. He said he had no news of his son.

Ishaaq, brother of Mohammad Iltaaf, who has been missing since October 3, 2003, said that those who were released by the intelligence agencies recently had told him that Iltaaf was in the custody of intelligence agencies with several others but had lost his senses.

“He had not committed any crime but had a beard. Almost all who were allegedly picked up by the agencies had beards and were religious-minded,” he said.

Asma Noor from Rawalpindi pleaded the case of her brother-in-law, Rana Ali Hassan, a retired commando, who was allegedly picked up from his house by men-in-uniform some three years ago. She said that her sister, a cancer patient, was also tortured and kept in illegal custody for eight days.

I.A. Rehman after listening to the woeful tales said that even if someone committed a mistake or crime or even went abroad, his rights were not suspended and everyone had the right to a fair trial and defend his case.

“Forced disappearances are an unlawful act and the government, which is responsible for the security of its citizens, should recover all missing people and punish those who have committed this crime,” he added.

“Testimonies of those who are released by the intelligence agencies can not be ignored and the government should recover those kept in illegal custody and produce them before the court.”

He said that Pakistan should sign a convention on enforced disappearances to solve this grave issue and gain the trust of its people.

Law and order situation: The law and order situation is really bad and men and women are equally affected by suicide bombings. Close relatives of those killed in a suicide bombing in Peshawar held the government responsible for the loss of their loved ones.

Presiding over a session, former MNA Latif Afridi Advocate said that the provincial and federal governments were not willing to check those elements which were destabilising peace.

“The wave of extremism has spread from the Khyber Agency, Bajaur and Malakand region to North and South Waziristan and the government instead of stopping it is encouraging it by not taking any action against those who are responsible for it,” he said.

“Institutions are breaking down and there is no rule of law. If the government doesn’t do anything then social and economic inequality, extremism and sectarianism will swallow the country,” Mr Afridi observed.

Harassment: Pakhti Rawan, father of a victim of rape, two Swara victims, Naila and Zaiba, Jannat Bibi, daughter of late Zubaida Begum, a councillor from Dir, and two Afghan refugee women, Noor Bibi and Maryam Bibi, spoke of the crimes committed against them.

The victims held the government responsible for their plight and said that it had failed to provide them security and justice.