Immediate release of activist Punhal Sario demanded

The Sindh Human Rights Defenders Network (SHRDN) and the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler) have jointly demanded of the government to fulfil its responsibility towards the citizens and assure them protection. 

They have also called on the government to ensure the recovery of all missing persons, including Punhal Sario, who was allegedly whisked away by law enforcers in Hyderabad almost two months ago.

Mahnaz Rahman, the director of Aurat Foundation and a zealous worker for the rights of the oppressed and the marginalised, told a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Friday afternoon that Hyderabad police picked up Punhal Sario, who had been actively campaigning for the release of missing persons in Sindh. 

Despite over a month and a half having elapsed since the day he was picked up, nothing was known of his whereabouts. His family, she said, was suffering a lot and his only son was admitted to hospital, where he suffered a heart attack. 

According to Rahman, the Hyderabad police denied his arrest but eyewitnesses claimed that he was picked up by about 15 plainclothes police personnel who bundled him into a mobile bearing a police registration number plate.

She further said 80 political workers and human rights defenders were picked up in August alone. Sario’s only fault, she said, was that he had been actively campaigning for the release of the missing persons and was working for the peasants and the marginalised. It was only on Thursday, after a lapse of 50 days, that an FIR in this regard had been registered.

“We demand of the Sindh and federal governments to effect recovery of all these missing persons. If they are accused of any misconduct, cases should be registered against them and they should be subjected to a fair trial to determine their guilt -- or otherwise.”

She appealed to the chief justice of the Sindh High Court to effect disposal of the cases of missing persons expeditiously. She also appealed to the civil society and the bar councils to step in and save the families of the missing persons form their grueling ordeal.

Rahman also expressed disappointment over the performance of different bodies set up by the government for the purpose and said the Commission on Missing Persons, the term of which had recently been increased, had simply failed to have a positive impact with regard to the provision of relief to the victims’ families.

Asad Butt, vice president of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), said the government and the guardians of the law, through such callous and heartless acts, were just beaming the message to the people that they did not care tuppence for the law.

“All Punhal Sario did was to speak up for the missing persons,” Butt said.  “Who will be responsible were anything untoward to happen to Sario or his family members?” queried Khadim Kaka, worker of the Sindh Human Rights Network. He demanded of the authorities to release Sario and the others and try them.

Saeed Baloch, general secretary of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, suggested that the government create a joint investigation team comprising a sizeable number of civilians to tackle the grave issue.

Zulfiqar Shah of Piler said that if no positive action was taken, they would hold rallies and meetings after Ashura to press for the release of these unfortunate persons who were suffering tremendously without being charged with any crime.