Abduction of trader
LANDIKOTAL
Traders and business community members in Landikotal on Saturday observed a shutter-down strike to protest the alleged abduction/missing of prominent trader Muhammd Zareef Shinwari, alias Landai Haji, who has reportedly been picked up last week.
The traders, along with local elders, political parties leaders,social activists, relatives and friends and family members of the missing trader, held a protest demonstration at Bacha Khan Chowk in Landikotal bazaar and later took out a rally through Landikotal Bazaar and on the Pak-Afghan highway.
They were holding black flags in hands and chanted slogans against the abduction of trader.
The protesters carried black flags and chanted slogans against abductions and the deteriorating law and order situation in Landikotal. They demanded the immediate recovery of Muhammad Zareef Shinwari and his safe return to his family.
Speakers at the protest said that a week had passed since Shinwari was allegedly abducted or went missing, but no progress had been made towards his recovery. They expressed concern that no government institution had publicly accepted responsibility for his detention or provided information about his whereabouts.
The protesters questioned why Zareef Shinwari had not been produced before a court if he was in the custody of any state institution. They said that if there were any allegations against him, the authorities should make them public and proceed according to the law.
“If Muhammad Zareef Shinwari has been detained by any government institution, he should immediately be produced before a court. If there is no charge against him, the authorities must explain under what law he has been kept missing,” the Awami National Party leader Shah Hussain Shinwari said.
Shinwari alleged that SHO Adnan Afridi and his four police personnel were responsible for the abduction,who according Shah Hussain Shinwari, abducted Muhammad Zareef for ransome. He said SHO Adnan was the mastermind of the abduction and his family would sue him in court.
He urged the government and relevant authorities to take immediate steps for Shinwari’s recovery and provide relief to his worried family, relatives and the business community.
Shah Hussain also announced that a protest sit-in at the Charwazai area on the Pak-Afghan highway would continue until the missing trader was recovered. He said the future course of action would be decided in consultation with traders, elders and other stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the sit-in at Charwazgai was also continued on the 9th day where roads was blocked for traffic from and to Pakistan and Peshawar. Hundreds of long vehicles,passengers’ coached and other vehicles were seen parked on the roadside waiting for reopening of the road to resume their journey towards their destinations.
