PESHAWAR, Sept 5: Relatives of four Pakistanis arrested in Iraq staged a protest rally here on Monday and demanded that the government expedite efforts for their safe return. Several dozen relatives, including children of the four employees of Al-Hamrah company of Kuwait, who were detained by the Iraqi authorities in August, gathered in front of the Peshawar Press Club and marched towards Governor’s House.

They were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans for the release of the detained people.

A former member of provincial assembly Abdur Rehman Kafoordheri led the demonstration and urged NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani to play his role for the release of Pakistanis who had gone to the war-battered country to earn a living.

Eight Pakistani employees of Al-Hamrah firm - four each from the Frontier and Punjab provinces - were reportedly kidnapped by Iraq militants near Nasiriya on August 13 who later released them without receiving ransom.

Family members of Zahid Khan, Musafir Khan, Tehsil Khan and Noor Rehman claimed that the Iraqi security personnel had picked up the four near Basra.

They claimed that the Kuwaiti company had forcefully sent the Pakistanis to Iraq without obtaining legal travel documents and work permits from the authorities concerned.

Relatives of the Pakistani workers told Dawn they had not heard of their family members since they went missing.

They said they had received all the information about the kidnapping incident and later their release through the media.

“There is not a single word from the government side about the release of my father Mohammad Zahid,” said Rahim Gul, who added that his father also did not contact the family by telephone.

“We are confused... We don’t know what is going on. We have no idea where they are detained and on what charges,” said Rahim Gul.

Rahim said that one of his close relatives, who was living in Kuwait and was in touch with Al-Hamrah company, informed them that the Iraqi authorities had fined the Kuwaiti firm on charges of transporting people to the war-torn country without valid travel documents.

Isradi Khan, nephew of another victim Musafar Khan, told this correspondent that they had also not been informed by the government about the Iraq episode.

However, he said that the victim’s family was in contact with their close relative in Kuwait, who was providing latest information about Musafar Khan.

“We are told by the relative that the eight Pakistanis will be released when Al-Hamrah company pays the fine amount to the Iraqi government,” he added.

Officials in the Foreign Office told this correspondent by telephone from Islamabad that the Pakistani workers had been put in a jail in Basra for having travelled to the country without possessing valid documents.

The Kuwaiti company had violated the Iraqi laws and tried to transport the Pakistani labourers without obtaining valid travel documents and working permits, the FO officials confirmed.

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