KARACHI - Families of the missing persons on Saturday appealed to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the chief justice of the Sindh High Court (SHC) to help them in the recovery of their loved ones from the custody of law enforcement agencies.

Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club (KPC), the families of missing persons alleged that they were picked by the law enforcement agencies and they should be produced in courts if they have committed any crime.

Sharing details about the missing persons, members of Shahrukh Kamal’s family said that law enforcement agency personnel took him into custody from his shop on March 30, 2015 and there was no clue about his whereabouts since.

“Law enforcement agencies arrested my son Farhaj Yaqoob during a raid on my house,” said Farhaj’s father. He said the midnight raid was conducted on 23 of September 2016 and the personnel in plainclothes told them that they were taking Farhaj away for investigation and they would release him later. Five months have passed, he said. “We have moved the court, but to no avail,” he said.

“My son was arrested when he was having launch at a hotel outside the Karachi University on 30 December 2016,” said the father of Ahmed Ali Baig. He said Ahmed was a student to KU and was taken into custody by the personnel in plainclothes. He asked the rulers to explain the charges on which his son was taken into custody.

On January 18, 2017, Farhan Hashmi went out for shopping and he was picked up by the law enforcement personnel in plainclothes from Dastagir FB Area, said Hashmi’s wife. She said about a month had passed and the family did not even know about his whereabouts. She appealed to the authorities to help her in recovery of her husband.

Brother of Kamran Qureshi told the media men that on January 27, 2017 the personnel in plainclothes picked up Kamran from FB Area, Block 9. “I have moved various police stations for the recovery of my brother, but in vain,” he said.

On the occasion, families of the missing persons also appealed to human rights organisations to play their role in recovery of their missing family members.

They appealed to the army chief, President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of the issue and take measures for immediate recovery of their loved ones.