Families cry their heart out for missing members

ISLAMABAD, Feb 8: Bilawal Jan was not so frail and absent-minded. She was very healthy, happy and would talk and share her thoughts with her children and anyone around. But her health started deteriorating after the disappearance of her son about five years ago. Now she remains silent most of the time, grieving his abduction.

Mirza Abdul Hamid Baig was doing property business. He been missing since May 14, 2002. His family members have been searching him since then but he could not be traced. Bilawal Jan, 75, lost almost half of her health in memory of her son. When will he come is the question she always asks, said her other son Mirza Ashiq Baig.

Mrs Jan on Thursday joined those dozens of other parents, brothers and sisters whose sons and dear ones have disappeared for years but there is no knowing where they are and whether they are alive. They staged a protest in front of parliament house to draw attention of the authorities towards the shock they had been passing through since their family members went missing.

She did participate in the protest but did not speak. She looked straight in front and thinking deeply. Mr Ashiq said she ate very little since then. She has developed blood pressure and suffering from many other ailments. My brother was doing property business and he had no links with any suspicious person, he said.

Among the protesting parents was another aged man Muhammad Arif Abbasi from Abbottabad whose son Muhammad Idrees was kidnapped in 2004. Mr Arif, about 85, said his son was a religious scholar and had nothing to do with militancy or terrorism. His two small children remember him, he said. Where should we go, is there any justice in this country, he asked.

The other protesters including women and children also wore very pathetic look. They were waving placards inscribed with slogans against the government. “Stop state terrorism,” a placard read. “Why the government playing with the lives of its own citizens on the behest of America,” said another poster.

Source: Dawn

Date:1/9/2007