Traffic comes to a standstill on the Garden-Nishtar Road as families along with children protest over a year of police inaction, demanding justice and the safe return of Aliyan and Ali Raza. Photo: Jalal Qureshi/Express
KARACHI:
Residents and families of two missing children staged a protest on Garden-Nishtar Road on Wednesday, expressing frustration over a year of inaction in the case of their disappearance. The demonstration caused severe traffic disruption in Garden, MA Jinnah Road and surrounding areas.
The missing children, five-year-old Aliyan and six-year-old Ali Raza, disappeared from the Garden area on January 14, 2025. Despite repeated assurances from the police, no breakthrough has been reported, leaving families and neighbors feeling ignored and desperate for answers.
During the protest, the mothers of the children were visibly distressed and appealed for justice and the safe return of their children. Protesters blocked roads to highlight their grievances and demanded that the authorities reactivate the investigation, deploy modern technology and all available resources and hold those responsible for negligence accountable.
The protest caused long traffic jams, disrupting commuters and office goers, while a few traffic police officers tried to divert vehicles to maintain some flow. After about an hour, discussions with the police led to the protesters reopening the road.
Families of the missing children said that even after a year, they are anxiously awaiting justice and the safe return of Aliyan and Ali Raza, with their grief compounded by a perceived lack of urgency from law enforcement.
