By, Sheikh Imran Bashir, Agence India Press
Srinagar: Association of parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) is still waiting for the return of their missing wards almost for a decade. They have been searching them in every nook and corner. But the wait now seems too long and the hunts futile as the relatives of disappeared persons have eventually given up the hope for the return of their missing wards.
As per the government figures, 3744 persons have gone missing since the inception of militancy in the state but the Non Governmental Organizations and other Civil organizations claims the number is much higher than given by the government.
Relatives of persons who have gone missing during past two decades of turmoil in Kashmir Valley have formed an association, ‘Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons’ (APDP) to fight against the involuntary disappearance of their wards and seek justice for them.
They gather in the Sher-i-Kashmir Park in Lal Chowk, Srinagar on the 10th and 28th day of every month to register their protest against involuntary disappearances. Though they assembled at the Sher-i-Kashmir Park on 10th of this month also but most of them were pessimistic about the return of their kins.
Nazima Jan of Tathmulla Uri in Baramulla district has been waiting for her three brothers, who have gone missing almost one and a half decades ago. But now she has given up the hope.
“Had I any hope of their return then I would have been sitting at home with ease. Almost fifteen years have passed and I think their return is impossible,” she told Agence India Press.
Tasleema Begum of northern district of Bandipora has a same story to narrate. Her husband, Muhammad Yousuf Malik went missing on 12th march 2001. She said that she searched him everywhere and went to every police station but could not find him.
“I believe he is dead. Had he been alive he would have come at least for his three children”, she lamented.
Most of them have no hope left about the return of their wards but they are committed to fight for the justice. They assemble on 10th and 28th of every month so that the police register cases and lodge First Information Reports (FIR) as in most of the disappeared cases; even FIR has not been registered with the police.
“We have given up the hope but we want justice to all the families whose members have gone missing”, Said Muhammad Hayat Dar of district Kupwara whose son, Abdul Rashid Dar has been missing from the past seven years.