Karachi protest highlights one-year police stalemate in missing children case

Karachi [Pakistan], January 15 (ANI): A year after two young boys disappeared from Karachi's Garden locality, enraged families and residents took to the streets, accusing law-enforcement agencies of abandoning the case and failing their children. The protest on Garden-Nishtar Road brought traffic to a standstill across Garden, MA Jinnah Road and nearby corridors, reflecting the public's deepening distrust in the police, as reported by The Express Tribune.
According to The Express Tribune, five-year-old Aliyan and six-year-old Ali Raza vanished on January 14, 2025, and despite multiple assurances, meetings and "active investigation" claims by officials, the families say no credible development has emerged. Relatives believe the police have shown little urgency or professionalism, allowing crucial time and evidence to slip away. During the demonstration, the mothers of the missing boys broke down repeatedly, pleading for immediate action and the safe return of their children. Neighbours and community members joined them, forming a human blockade on the main road to force authorities to acknowledge what they call a "criminal level of negligence." Protesters demanded that the case be revived with modern investigative tools, digital tracing methods, and accountability for officers who failed to pursue early leads.
The road closure caused massive traffic congestion, leaving commuters stranded and disrupting workday movements. Only a few traffic officials attempted to redirect vehicles, but the jam persisted for almost an hour. Eventually, following discussions between demonstrators and senior police officers, the crowd agreed to clear the road, though their grievances remain unresolved, as cited by The Express Tribune.
The families insist that their trust in law enforcement has eroded entirely. They accuse authorities of forgetting the case, offering hollow promises, and demonstrating no seriousness toward crimes involving children. For them, the protest was not simply a show of anger but a desperate attempt to prevent their sons' disappearance from fading into official indifference. Marking one year since Aliyan and Ali Raza vanished, the grieving families say they remain trapped between fear, hope and state apathy, as reported by The Express Tribune. (ANI)