Civil society concerned over rising cases of enforced disappearances

With a month into the enforced disappearance of University of Karachi (KU) student, Sagheer Baloch, a meeting held at the office of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) pertaining to the issue saw more groups share the same plight.

Presiding over the meeting, Asad Iqbal Butt, vice chairperson HRCP Sindh, alongside those present at the meeting decided to hold a presser on Friday to not only raise concerns but to stress on the severity of the issue.

Representing families of the Shia missing persons, Rashid Rizvi lamented that despite organising an over two-month long movement none of the missing persons were recovered and the movement only lead to a dead end.

However, assuring him that regardless of the end result, such movements carried immense weight, associate professor at KU Dr Riaz Ahmed said, “It is indeed demoralising to see the families return home without their loved ones, but such movements needn’t be equated with failure. We do, however, need to realise that such activities were legitimised through some laws passed in the assembly by political parties.”

Nasir Mansoor of the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) also reinstated Ahmed’s words, adding that such initiatives speed up the litigation processes: “When people come out to protest, the issue gets highlighted. Earlier, when we used to hear such cases being reported in Latin America, we used to think we were far better, but this is sadly not the case.”

Regarding Sagheer’s case, it was told by one of his class fellows that the varsity’s administration has said that the court is the only institution that could assure his return, as they are now helpless.

Upon hearing this, Dr Riaz said it was a sorry state of affairs to see the administration respond this way. “This has proven that the students are no longer safe at KU because instead of security agencies present in the varsity being answerable to the university administration, it seems like the latter’s hands are tied,” he stated.

It was also noted that while it was important to mobilise people, the reasons leading to the enforced disappearances must also be brought to light.

The meeting was attended by two more families of missing persons, Naseer Baloch and Kaleemullah Tunio. The former was picked up on November 15 along with three others, Sanaullah, Rafique and Asaam from his residence in Safoora Goth by people in plain clothes.

Tunio, on the other hand, was taken away from Shar Goth near Sachal Goth along with three of his friends on December 16. Employed in Dubai, the 25-year-old was in Karachi to visit his family.