Meeting reiterates demand to bring ‘missing persons’ to court

Rights advocates and parliamentarians have called for respecting fundamental human rights, freedom of expression and political activism as well as bringing all the “missing persons” to court if they have committed a crime.

The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) convened a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the reported cases of “enforced disappearances” of rights activists and workers of Sindhi parties in the province, demanding immediate steps to put an end to the appalling trend.

Presiding over the meeting, SHRC Chairperson Justice (retd) Majida Razvi said the rights body had noted an increase in reports of “enforced disappearances” of citizens, mainly members of Sindhi parties.

She reminded the meeting that a fortnight ago the SHRC had written to the authorities, including the home and law secretaries and the Rangers and police chiefs, to provide them with information on the reported cases of “enforced disappearances” of rights activists across the province. “We’re still awaiting a response.”

Advocate Ali A Palh of the Sindh Human Rights Defenders (SHRD) said cases of “enforced disappearances” in Sindh had been surfacing since 2014, but in the recent months they had sharply increased. “More than 80 people have gone ‘missing’ from different parts of the province this month alone.”

He said the “missing persons” included rights activists, journalists and members of various Sindhi parties and religious groups. “Human rights defenders such as Punhal Sario, who raised voices against ‘enforced disappearances’, have also gone ‘missing’, thereby setting a dangerous trend.”

He also shared with the meeting a list, compiled by the SHRD, of 165 people who have gone “missing” from different parts of the province in the past few years.

The list shows that besides journalists, rights activists and members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the banned Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, most of the “missing persons” are associated with Sindhi groups, including the proscribed Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) and the Bashir Qureshi and Abdul Wahid Arisar factions of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz.

SHRC member MPA Kulsoom Chandio said five people, including a journalist, had gone “missing” this month from her hometown Dadu. “They were picked up by law enforcers from their houses in a disrespectful manner.”

Civil society activist Jibran Nasir said the people who returned home after their “enforced disappearances” were traumatised and did not talk about their time away. He suggested providing financial support to the families of the “missing persons”.

SHRC member MPA Sharmila Farooqi said people had gone “missing” across the country and, thus, the matter of “enforced disappearances” had now become a national issue. “It is not a provincial issue. We should raise it at the national level.”

Citing media reports that JSMM leaders had been “seeking India’s help in anti-state activities and in taking asylum there”, she said such reports were making the situation worse.

Punhal Jamali, a leader of the Riaz Chandio-led Jeay Sindh Mahaz, claimed that the law enforcement agencies had been picking up Sindhi political activists who believed in non-violent and democratic politicking. He also claimed that activists were being pressurised into abandoning Sindhi nationalist politics.

Anis Haroon of the National Commission of Human Rights demanded that “enforced disappearances” be immediately stopped. “They should be taken to court. If they are involved in any subversive activity, the court should decide their fate.”

The meeting was also attended by Lahore-based rights activist Tanveer Jehan, Aurat Foundation Resident Director Mahnaz Rahman, Zulfiqar Shah of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education & Research, legal practitioner Tahir Iqbal, civil society activists Farieha Aziz, Nuzhat Shireen and Naghma Shaikh, and representatives of the law and human rights departments.

Meanwhile, families of “missing persons” set up a hunger strike camp at the Karachi Press Club against “enforced disappearances” of dozens of Sindhi political activists from various parts of the province.

Moreover, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the joint action committee of civil society and human rights activists have scheduled a protest rally at the press club for Wednesday (today) to mark International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances and to express solidarity with the families of “victims of enforced disappearances”.