On the radio I heard that President Obama sent letters to Bagram to hand it over to the Afghans. I think that will help. My brother has also told me that once the prison is handed over to Afghans, he will go free soon. 109 Families feel despair after years of no news, no progress and no understanding of what can be done to resolve their relative’s fate. Imtiaz, a corn farmer in the northern, mountainous region of Pakistan, is a cousin of Muhammad who has been in detention since 2002. Imtiaz travelled more than six hours on dirt paths and rugged roads to meet JPP interviewers to share his family’s ordeal, and the hopelessness they now feel: We just leave it to the hands of God now. Only God can make sure Muhammad is safe. What do you want us to do? No one knows when Muhammad will be coming back. Only God knows. 110 d) Families’ and Detainees’ Views of the U.S. and Pakistani Governments Detainees and family members interviewed largely hold the Pakistani government responsible for failing to secure detainees’ release, and for failing to take steps to repatriate detainees. According to several interviewees, instead of providing families with information and assistance, the Pakistani government has focused on avoiding blame, and shifting responsibility on to U.S. officials. Families are equally critical of the United States, not only for what they see as the unjust detention of their relatives, but also for what they see as U.S. hypocrisy in failing to respect human rights and the rule of law. The first, most basic step towards repatriation is confirmation of a detainee’s Pakistani nationality. Only after the Pakistani government has confirmed detainees’ nationality can negotiations with the United States meaningfully move forward. Yet Pakistani officials took over six years to do so for most detainees, significantly delaying the process and prolonging their detention. 111 In the eight agonizing years of his brother’s detention, the Pakistani government contacted Gul Nawaz only once, which was to request his brother’s nationality documents—information which the government should already have on file. 112 Pirzada, like Gul Nawaz and many other family members, is very critical of what he sees as years of Pakistani government inaction: They [the Pakistani government] claim they are doing the best they can. They claim the decision is not in their hands. In 2012 they asked for documents to confirm my brother’s nationality. It took them four years to ask for those documents. 113 Family members say that the Pakistani government’s inaction leaves them feeling betrayed, and abandoned by their own government. As Mubashar whose nephew, Javed, has been in detentions since 2005, told JPP interviewers: 109 Justice Project Pakistan interview with Gul Nawaz, December 2012 (real name, location withheld). Justice Project Pakistan interview with Imitaz, November 2012 (real name, locations withheld). 111 Report filed by the MFA in Sultana Noon v. Federation of Pakistan, 25 September, 2012. 112 Justice Project Pakistan interview with Gul Nawaz, December 2012 (real name, location withheld). 113 Justice Project Pakistan interview with Pirzada, March 2013 (real name, location withheld). 110 30