Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Azad Kashmir region of Pakistan, that Mr. Asim Zakir, a young man who was previously arrested by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), an intelligence agency of the Pakistani armed forces, was extrajudicially killed when his jeep was destroyed in an explosion. In the days prior to his death he had been receiving threats from unknown callers and it was because of this that he left his job at the electricity department of Azad Kashmir. The police have claimed that the explosion was caused by the bomb that Zakir was carrying and which he was allegedly going to use against a target. The police have also arrested his younger brother and his friend from their homes and the ISI whisked away both from the custody of the police. Their whereabouts are unknown.
CASE NARRATIVE:
Mr. Asim Zakir, 24, son of late Mr. Mohammad Zakir Khan, a resident of Sangar Hurnamira village, Rawalakote, Poonch district, Azad Kashmir, was employed in the electricity department in Rawalakote, Before joining the electricity department Asim Zakir was a student at a Muslim Madressa (seminary) in Miranshah, the capital of North Waziristan agency, a federally administered region. The Madressa was run by the Taliban, which was also involved in training the students for Jihad or holy war. When his father died Zakir, being the eldest son, joined the electricity department and took up his father’s position in order to support his family.
On 10 March 2010, at around 1.30pm, as he was going home, he was picked up by unknown persons at gun point and severely beaten at the scene. The people and his colleagues saw the incident and they chased the abductors. After some distance the abductors took Zakir to a helipad where he was thrown into a helicopter, which took him to unknown destination.
After his abduction the employees of the electricity department protested and went on strike disturbing the electric supply of the city. Seeing the reaction from the employees and civil society of the Azad Kashmir, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) released him from incommunicado detention ten days after his abduction. Mr. Zakir told the media and his colleagues that he was kidnapped by the ISI and was tortured. During his illegal detention he was forced to continue his education in the Madressa and participate in Jihad (holy war) against the forces of evil. His ordeal was not extensively covered in the media because of the self censorship of the media houses and their sympathy towards the intelligence agencies. Following his release he was continuously receiving threats from the ISI and some Jihadi elements.
Asim then decided to resign and leave Rawalakote. He traveled to Jandola, South Waziristan, where he started the construction of a school. But he was never free of the threats from unknown persons. He told his younger brother and his friend that he was receiving threats from the ISI that if he did not join the Jihad and his previous Madressa he would face problems or his younger brother Aaqib Zakir would be made shaheed (martyr).
On September 11, at around 11.15pm when, Asim was traveling, his jeep was involved in an explosion resulting Asim’s death. Following this there have been conflicting reports from the government. One version states that he was carrying an explosive device for some targets and it exploded. The other version from the police is that the jeep was parked outside a hotel and blown up by a suicide bomber. The United Kashmir National Peoples Party says that Asim had been on the intelligence agency’s hit list for many months and even his mother had been threatened for not sparing her son in the name of Allah.
The next day, in an effort to turn the case from a possible extrajudicial killing into a suicide bombing the police went to the house of the deceased and arrested his younger brother, Aaqib Zakir and his close friend, Tauseef Talib. However, in a short space of time the ISI took both the young persons from police custody and their whereabouts are now unknown.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The intelligence agencies particularly, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), is accused of training and sending people inside Indian held Kashmir for the Jihad or providing information of militants working inside other parts of Kashmir. The family members of the disappeared people are also stating that when people who worked for intelligence agencies leave the Jihad and return to their normal lives they are nabbed by the ISI and shifted to unknown places as punishment for not working in the interests of national security. There are also reports that some missing persons, who were sent to collect information from Indian Kashmir, were also hired for smuggling liquor and other Indian items when they come back to Pakistani Kashmir after completing their assignments. These persons were aware that Zakir was receiving threats from ISI officials.
The close working relationship between the military and its intelligence agencies, the Taliban and other Muslim militants should be of utmost concern to Pakistani citizens, the country’s neighbours and the international community as a whole. Please see the following links regarding similar action conducted by the ISI and military in Azad Kashmir: AHRC-UAC-069-2009; AHRC-UAC-172-2009; AHRC-STM-137-2010; AHRC-STM-156-2010 and AHRC-STM-011-2010.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send letters to the authorities to conduct an impartial inquiry of the incident in which a young man was extrajudicially killed for abandoning the Jihad. The intelligence agencies, particularly the ISI and its staff in Azad Kashmir should be prosecuted for killing the people who do not want to join the Jihad or who abandon it later. Please urge that the family of the Asim Zakir be paid compensation and his brother and friend be released from the custody of the ISI.
The AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the extrajudicial killing, Working Groups on Arbitrary Detention and Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances calling for his intervention into this case.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PAKISTAN: Intelligence agency allegedly kills one and disappears two persons for refusing to join in Jihad
Name of the victim (Extrajudicial killing):
1. Mr. Asim Zakir, age: 24 years, son of late Mr. Mohammad Zakir Khan, resident of Sangar Hurnamira village, Rawalakote, Poonch district, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
Names of the victims (Disappeared):
1. Mr. Aaqib Zakir, age: 22 years, son of late Mr. Mohammad Zakir Khan, resident of Sangar Hurnamira village, Rawalakote, Poonch district, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
2. Mr. Tauseef Talib, resident of Sangar Hurnamira village, Rawalakote, Poonch district, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
Alleged perpetrator: Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Azad Kahmir Unit, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
Date of incident: September 11, 2010
Place of incident: Rawalakote, Azad Kashmir
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the killing of a young man allegedly by the ISI for abandoning the Jihad and refusing to study in an Islamic Madressa. The younger brother of the deceased and his friend were arrested and their present whereabouts are unknown. The disappeared persons were aware that the deceased had been receiving threats from intelligence officials for many months.
I am shocked to know that intelligence agencies particularly, the ISI, are using methods of intimidation and coercion for the Jihad against evil forces, particularly against neighbouring countries. It is very disturbing to learn that the ISI is killing people extrajudicially for their failure to join the Jihad.
According to the information I have received Mr. Asim Zakir, 24, the son of the late Mohammad Zakir, resident of Sangar Hurnamira village, Rawalakote, Poonch district, Azad Kashmir, was employed in the electricity department in Rawalakot, after the death of his father in April 2009. Before joining Asim Zakir was a student at a Muslim Madressa (seminary) in Miranshah, the capital of North Waziristan agency, the federally administered region. The Madressa was run by the Taliban and was also training the students for Jihad, the holy war. When his father died Zakir joined the Electric department to support his family being the eldest son of the family.
On March 10, 2010, at around 1.30 PM, when he was going to his home, he was picked up by unknown person on gun point and severely beaten. The people and his colleagues saw the incident and they chased the abductors. After some distance the abductors took Zakir to a helipad where he was thrown into a helicopter which took him to unknown destination.
After his abduction the employees of the electric department protested and went on strike disturbing the electric supply of the city. Seeing the reaction from the employees and civil society of the Azad Kashmir, the ISI released him from incommunicado after ten days of his abduction. Mr. Zakir told the media and his colleagues that he was kidnapped by the ISI and was tortured. During his illegal detention he was forced to continue his education in the Madressa and fight for Jihad against the forces of evil. His ordeal was not extensively covered in media because of self censorship of the media houses and their sympathy with the intelligence agencies. Following his release he was continuously receiving threats from ISI and some Jihadi elements.
Asim then decided to resign and leave Rawalakot. He traveled to Jandola, South Waziristan, where he started the construction of a school. But he was never free of the threats from unknown persons. He told his younger brother and his friend that he was receiving threats from the ISI that if he did not join the Jihad and his previous Madressa he would face problems or his younger brother would be made shaheed (martyr).
On September 11, at around 11.15 pm when, he was traveling, his jeep was involved in an explosion. Following this there have been conflicting reports from the government. One version states that he was carrying an explosive device for some targets and it exploded. The other version from the police is that the jeep was parked outside a hotel and blown up by a suicide bomber. The United Kashmir National Peoples Party says that Asim had been on the intelligence agency’s hit list for many months and even his mother had been threatened for not sparing her son in the name of Allah.
The next day, in an effort to turn the case from a possible extrajudicial killing into a suicide bombing the police went to house of the deceased and arrested his younger brother, Aaqib Zakir and his close friend, Tauseef Talib. However, in a short space of time the ISI took both the young persons from police custody and their whereabouts are now unknown.
I am appalled that his younger brother and friend were arrested and disappeared. It is nothing but just a sheer tactic to shift the burden of the extrajudicial killing from the authorities.
I find it disheartening to learn that the ISI is so interested in training the militants through Madressas (seminaries) and sending them for the Jihad. This is not the first case but one of many such cases in which the direct involvement of the ISI was evident. Please see the following links regarding similar action conducted by the ISI and military in Azad Kashmir: AHRC-UAC-069-2009; AHRC-UAC-172-2009; AHRC-STM-137-2010; AHRC-STM-156-2010 and AHRC-STM-011-2010.
I urge you to conduct an impartial inquiry of the incident where in a young man was extrajudicially killed on the pretext of abandoning the Jihad. The intelligence agencies particularly, the ISI and its staff in Azad Kashmir should be prosecuted for killing the people who do not want to join the Jihad or have abandoned it.
The Pakistani authorities and the intelligence agencies of which the ISI is one must respect the right to life of the citizens of Pakistan. This is nothing less than a basic right which is enshrined in the country’s Constitution. Pakistan has also ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which also enshrines this right.
The family of the Asim Zakir should be paid compensation and his brother and friend be released from the custody of the ISI.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Asif Ali Zardari
President of Pakistan
President’s Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9204801/9214171
Fax +92 51 9207458
Email: publicmail@president.gov.pk
2. Mr. Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani
Prime Minister of Pakistan
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9221596
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk , pspm@pmsectt.gov.pk
3. Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan
Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir
Prime Minister’s House
Muzaffarabad
Azad Kashmir
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 5822 921600 +92 5822 921600 + 92 51 9209093-5
Fax: + 92 5822 920410 +92 51 9206288
Email: webmaster@ajk.gov.pk
4. Mr. A. Rehman Malik
Federal Minister for Interior
Government of Pakistan,
R block, Pak Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9212026 +92 51 9212026 +92 51 9212026 +92 51 9212026 +92 51 9212026
Fax: +92 51 9202624
Email: ministry.interior@gmail.com , interior.complaintcell@gmail.com
5. Mr. Syed Mumtaz Alam Gillani
Federal Minister for Human Rights
Ministry of Human Rights
Old US AID Building
Ata Turk Avenue
G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9204108
Email: sarfaraz_yousuf@yahoo.com
6. Dr. Faqir hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9213452
E-mail: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
