DHRP decides to expand protest camp

ISLAMABAD - The Defence of Human Rights Pakistan (DHRP) has decided to contact all missing persons relatives across the country to expand its protest camp organised in front of the Supreme Court of Pakistan following their principled stance of recovery of missing persons. The deadline of Interior Ministry of October 1 of this year passed away without yielding any positive results for the recovery of missing persons. The relatives of the illegally detained went on strike and they staged a protest camp last Monday outside the apex court for the early recovery of their dear ones. It is pertinent to mention here that the Supreme Court took sue motto action for the recovery of the illegally detained citizens. But despite the orders of the apex court, the concerned authorities could not produce the missing persons before the court and DHRP has decided to prolong its protest. Talking to TheNation, the Chairperson of DHRP, Amna Masood Janjua said that they would continue their struggle till the recovery of their dear ones. She said that it was the responsibility of the elected government to take concrete steps in this regard. She said that many times parliamentarians assured them for the recovery of all missing persons but practically did nothing. A large number of members of Parliament from different political parties and representatives of civil society visited the site as s symbol of solidarity but MNAs of Pakistan Peoples Party, except Fauzia Wahab, kept themselves away from the protest camp in the pretext of security. Amna said that Fauzia Wahab pledged that she would follow their case in Parliament. I thank Fauzia, adding, But despite the numerous pledges we could not hear good news since years, she said. The present situation forced us to call the relatives of missing persons from other provinces of the country to participate in the protest camp staged within 'Red Zone, she said. Amina said that they tried to resolve the mystery through the institutions, adding that unfortunately all state institutions failed to dig out the issue accordingly. Holding the picture of his son, an aged person at the camp said that his son Ali was abducted by the personnel of secret agencies during the Lal Masjid operation but he could not find any clue regarding him. Despite that I am suffering from diseases like arthritic but it is not possible for me to go on bed rest, as the memories of my lost son are much panic than any other pain, he said.

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