Pakistani academics concerned over enforced disappearances

LAHORE: Pakistani academics from 49 different universities in the country and abroad have signed a petition - The Policy of Enforced Disappearances is Illegal, Inhumane and Counterproductive.

In the petition, they said, "We are deeply distressed by what appears to be official policy to rely upon the practice of enforced disappearance as a means of stifling the dissents and narrowing the bounds of allowable speech in Pakistan. The prevalence of this practice is gauged by 1,532 pending cases with the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances at the beginning of 2018.”

They said, "As teachers and academics, we are concerned that the practice of enforced disappearance is being used to generate fear, insecurity and paranoia amongst the very people who are the creative and intellectual lifeblood of our nation. The people who raise their voices for a collective conscience and thriving cultures of critical debate are also being silenced to the detriment of all Pakistanis."