MQM appeals for missing workers’ return

Karachi
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has appealed to the chief justice and army chief of Pakistan to ensure the safe recovery of 128 of its activists who have allegedly gone missing since 1992 till today.
Speaking at the Karachi Press Club on Sunday, Bilal Amin, head of the MQM's body on missing persons, said such disappearances were a gross violation of human rights and urged all international rights organisations to take notice of the issue.
With August 30 being marked as the 'International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances', Amin said the day was a sad one for families all over the world who have had to suffer through the pain of being torn apart from their loved ones.
He said several petitions, appeals and requests to law enforcement and investigative agencies have failed to help find missing MQM workers. "We have demonstrated for their safe return and have requested the president and prime minister for help, but to no avail," said Amin, who was accompanied by several relatives of missing activists who later also held a demonstration outside the KPC.
The issue of missing MQM workers has been one of the main ones that has led to the party’s lawmakers resigning from three legislatures.
The issue, however, is expected to be settled soon as marathon meetings between the government and the MQM indicate that things are going in the right direction and the party has been assured that its complaints would be addressed. In this connection, a grievances redressal committee was also being formed.
The MQM has not demanded that any of its members should be inducted into the committee and has given a free hand to the government to form a body of its choice. However, it wants neutral people, including senior retired bureaucrats, intellectuals or judges, who are credible and capable enough of dealing with the problem without being pressured by anyone, to be members of the committee.