April 17, 2017, was not a normal day for me or my entire family – it was the day that changed our lives. Since then, we have been living in fear, as though something could happen at any moment. I was waiting for a bus to go to the office when my brother, Sarang Lohar, phoned me and said, “They have taken Baba, father.” At first, I thought Baba’s health was failing and they had taken him to hospital, but I asked him again, “Could you tell me exactly what had happened? In response to my question, Sarang clearly stated that state agencies had picked up our Baba.

We later learned that SHO Naseerabad, Waheed Abro, with the help of state agencies, had abducted our father, Hidayat Lohar. On that day, our father was at school when two men in civilian dress appeared, pretending to be visitors. After showing them around the school, my father and the men approached the school gate, where a double-door vehicle and police officers were waiting. Sensing what was about to happen, my father resisted, but they abducted him on April 17, 2017. One of the men dropped his identity card and other belongings at the scene; according to the identity card, his name was Ghulam Mohammad.

Meanwhile, part of our family was living in Karachi. During our journey to Naseerabad, every minute felt heavy, and we all wished we could reach home in seconds. When we arrived in Naseerabad, we went to the police station, where the SHO confessed that our father had been abducted by “Wadi Sarkar,” meaning agencies. They refused to lodge the First Information Report (FIR), which is a right of every citizen. In our case, my sister Sorath Lohar had to go to court just to get the FIR registered, and even then, it was not filed.

We were neither landlords nor part of the elite class or any powerful political family. After leaving no stone unturned, we realized that the right to protest was a powerful means to seek our father’s release. Thus, we began our protest. At the same time, the state in Sindh continued its actions of abducting Sindhis. During the protest, all victim families joined us, leading to the formation of “The Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh (VMPS),” with Punhal Sariyo as the convener and Sorath Lateef Lohar as the deputy convener.

After establishing the forum to advocate for the release of missing persons, the state escalated its violence against Sindhis and arrested Punhal Sariyo. The responsibility then fell on the shoulders of women. Sorath Lohar became the new convener of the VMPS, While Sindhu Amaa, Deputy Convener, Sohini Joyo, Karachi South Coordinator, and I, Sasui Lohar, as General Sectary Sasui Lohar, along with other elected members.

Initially, this movement aimed to release my father, but it soon evolved into a broader cause advocating for every victimized family. Throughout this process, the agencies kept a close watch on us and frequently harassed us.

On January 12, 2018, they attempted to abduct our brother Sanghar Lohar. We learned about this attempt, my sister, mother, and I, who were at home, ran barefoot to resist the agencies. Our resistance prevented them from abducting Sanghar. Shortly after, I received a call from an unknown number claiming that they were ill-informed and did not intend to abduct our brother. Despite this, I continued to receive numerous calls pressuring me to withdraw the case, but we refused to surrender to their pressure.

In Pakistan, families of missing persons had been raising their voices against abductions, and similar movements were emerging from every corner of the country. My family continued to protest as well. On May 28, 2019, while I was at my bank office, around 2:00 p.m., someone sent me a picture and suggested that it might be Saeen Hidayat Lohar. My hands were shaking and my heart was racing as the picture loaded. It was of my father, handcuffed, with police officers standing beside him.

Despite his weakened state, he was smiling. After two and a half years, my father was finally released. My family went to the Nawabshah Dor police station to meet him. After making us wait for hours, we were eventually allowed to see him.

It was an unbelievable moment to hug our father; the entire family was overjoyed. When my father asked about our grandmother, we had no answer. Even when he insisted on calling her, we managed to convince him that it was midnight and he could speak to her the following day. We could not bring ourselves to tell him the truth – that she had passed away while searching for him.

Fifteen days later, our father was finally released. The trial continued for six months, and the court acquitted him, stating that the case was baseless. Despite his abduction, my father continued to participate in many protests for the release of missing persons. He strongly believed in peaceful political movements and that no one should be punished for their beliefs. Though he was less active in politics, he dedicated his life to teaching.

In 2023, our father was abducted by agencies and handed over to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). During this period, the agencies warned him not to participate in any protests regarding missing persons and instructed him not to allow his daughters (Sasui and Sorath Lohar) to lead the missing persons movement in Sindh. Despite this, we managed to hold a protest at the Naseerabad police station, where our father had been released.

However, the state had another plan: installing a Death Squad in Sindh, which led to my father’s murder on February 16, 2024. My father, Hidayat Lohar, was killed while on duty. His school was some distance from the police station, and although police officers heard the gunfire and CCTV footage of the incident went viral, the killers have yet to be arrested.

The bullets fired at my father were not just aimed at him but at the very heart of this so-called system.

I know that a long list of people is involved in his murder, including Hidayat Allah Bijrani, Army Military Intelligence (MI) officer Ghulam Mohammad, and state agencies. They understand the consequences of their crimes, but they must be held accountable. Once again, my sister Sorath, my family, and I are on the streets, fighting to bring culprits to justice.

I will never stay silent until those responsible are behind bars. I know this is a tough road, but I am determined to see it through. I will not let them get away with my father’s murder.