Islamabad: At least 30 people were detained by the police here today (Dec 29,2006) after they protested at the Army General Headquarters (GHQ) demanding the release of 106 relatives from "illegal custody" of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Media reports said a number of Pakistani nationals had gone missing for their alleged "involvement" in anti-government activities or with Al Qaeda and foreign mercenaries operating in the tribal areas in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Amina Masood, wife of one of the missing persons, and Khalid Khawaja, whose relative had gone missing, spearheaded the protest, which was organised by an NGO, Islamic Centre for Research and Defence of Human Rights, reports said.

"We will protest outside the ISI headquarters on Friday, and at Faisal Mosque on Eid. We will also submit our demands to the UN office in Islamabad," she said.

"Our protest will continue until the recovery of over loved ones," she said
 

. "From now on, we will stage protests on a daily basis," Masood added.
 

She alleged that the police had locked her and about 25 other women in rooms in the nearby Flashman's Hotel for some two hours. Once the women were released, they returned to the demonstration, only to be bundled into security vans.

She said the protestors, including her 16-year-old son, were arrested and taken to undisclosed locations.

Earlier, the protestors had met Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Qaid), and Senator Musahid Hussain, its secretary general to help them locate their "missing" relatives.

"These politicians could not do anything, so we decided to meet the vice chief of army staff and present him our demands, but the police did not let us do it," Khawaja said.