Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the disappearance of a youth by the police and persons from intelligence agencies. His two older brothers were already extrajudicially killed earlier. Eighteen year old Sajjad went to Karachi city from his village to meet his assassinated brother’s family, and was abducted by police and plain clothed persons.
CASE NARRATIVE: (Information received from Sindh Human Rights Organisation (SHRO))
Master Sajjad Shah, 18, resident of Kashmore district, Sindh province, a human rights defender, was allegedly arrested on 10 July 2017 by plain clothed police and intelligence officials from his elder brother’s house in Jumma goth, Karachi. According to family members and their neighbors, the officers said that Sajjad would be released within 2-3 days, as he is required for investigation in a bomb blast case.
When he was not returned home, his family members tried to contact the police, but the police refused to provide information about him or to file a police report. The family members and the Sindh Human Rights Organisation (SHRO) through their own sources, learned that Shah was kept in Karachi city for three days, and was then shifted to the military detention center in the Cantonment area of Hyderabad city, 170 kilometers away from Karachi. The Cantonment detention center is a well-known military torture center, where detainees are kept blind folded and tortured to confess. In many cases, the detained persons die from third degree torture.
Although Sajjad’s father denies that Sajjad was working for any nationalist or political group, Sajjad was affiliated with the Sindh Human Rights Organisation (SHRO), an NGO working for human rights.
Sajjad’s father, Syed Bachal Shah, a poor man, fears for his son’s life. He says that his elder two sons were already extrajudicially killed by the police and military, and he is worried that the same fate will meet Sajjad.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Sajjad’s eldest brother, Mr. Paryal Shah, was abducted on 15 October 2014, by Pakistan security agencies. His mutilated body was later found on 7 November 2014, with clearly visible marks of torture. His body was dumped near the city of Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab Province, 300 kilometers away from Hyderabad city. Paryal hosted the Baloch long march last year for the recovery of Baloch missing persons (Please see AHRC-STM-202-2014 for more information).
The second Shah brother, Mr. Zamin Shah, was tortured and killed in police custody in the early hours of 15 August 2013, after he and his nationalist group, JSMM, observed a black day against the independence of Pakistan on August 14.
Inspector Saleem Malik, SHO, Gulistane Johar Police station, Karachi, reached Zamin’s house at 1 a.m., August 15, with 20 plain clothed private guards. There were six people inside the house, namely Zamin Shah, Yameen Chachar, Umed Ali Dehar, Imran Wahoocho, Ahmar Peerzado and Sindhrani. They were asleep at the time the raid was conducted and three persons, Imran Wahoocho, Ahmed Peerzado, and Sindhrani were abducted. While the rest were taken into custody Zamin Shah, Yameen Chachar and Umed Ali were atrociously tortured and were later extrajudicially killed in a fake encounter. Zamin Shah was from JSMM and the other two were from Jeay Sindh Tehreek. Please see the urgent appeal AHRC-UAC-112-2013.
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/forwarded-news/AHRC-FUA-005-2017/?searchterm=
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-082-2017/?searchterm=
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the following authorities calling on them to immediately recover Mr. Sajjad Shah, a minor. If there is any criminal charge against him, he should be produced before the court. Please urge the government to protect his life, as there are fears that he will be killed in military custody like his two older brothers. The government must stop enforced disappearance and criminalise it by making a law against disappearances.
The AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances, calling for its intervention into this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
PAKISTAN: Disappearance of youth whose two older brothers already extra judicially killed
Name of victim: Master Sajjad Shah, 18, son of Syed Bachal Shah, resident of Madho goth, Gulistane Johar, Karachi, Sindh
Names of alleged perpetrators: Sindh police, State intelligence agencies
Date of incident: 10 July 2017
Place of incident: Madho goth, Karachi
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the disappearance of 18-year-old Sajjad Shah by the police and persons from intelligence agencies. His two older brothers were already extrajudicially killed by police and intelligence agencies. Sajjad went to Karachi city from his village to meet his assassinated brother’s family, and was abducted by police and plain clothed persons.
According to the information received by me, master Sajjad Shah, 18, resident of Kashmore district, Sindh province, a human rights defender, was allegedly arrested on 10 July 2017 by plain clothed police and intelligence officials from his elder brother’s house in Jumma goth, Karachi. According to family members and their neighbors, the officers said that Sajjad would be released within 2-3 days, as he is required for investigation in a bomb blast case.
I am appalled to know that when he was not returned home, his family members tried to contact the police, but the police refused to provide information about him or to file a police report. The family members and the Sindh Human Rights Organisation (SHRO) through their own sources, learned that Shah was kept in Karachi city for three days, and was then shifted to the military detention center in the Cantonment area of Hyderabad city, 170 kilometers away from Karachi. The Cantonment detention center is a well-known military torture center, where detainees are kept blind folded and tortured to confess. In many cases, the detained persons die from third degree torture.
Although Sajjad’s father denies that Sajjad was working for any nationalist or political group, Sajjad was affiliated with the Sindh Human Rights Organisation (SHRO), an NGO working for human rights.
Sajjad’s father, Syed Bachal Shah, a poor man, fears for his son’s life. He says that his elder two sons were already extrajudicially killed by the police and military, and he is worried that the same fate will meet Sajjad.
It is a shocking for me that Sajjad’s eldest brother, Mr. Paryal Shah, was abducted on 15 October 2014, by Pakistan security agencies. His mutilated body was later found on 7 November 2014, with clearly visible marks of torture. His body was dumped near the city of Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab Province, 300 kilometers away from Hyderabad city. Paryal hosted the Baloch long march last year for the recovery of Baloch missing persons (Please see AHRC-STM-202-2014 for more information).
The second Shah brother, Mr. Zamin Shah, was tortured and killed in police custody in the early hours of 15 August 2013, after he and his nationalist group, JSMM, observed a black day against the independence of Pakistan on August 14.
Inspector Saleem Malik, SHO, Gulistane Johar Police station, Karachi, reached Zamin’s house at 1 a.m., August 15, with 20 plain clothed private guards. There were six people inside the house, namely Zamin Shah, Yameen Chachar, Umed Ali Dehar, Imran Wahoocho, Ahmar Peerzado and Sindhrani. They were asleep at the time the raid was conducted and three persons, Imran Wahoocho, Ahmed Peerzado, and Sindhrani were abducted. While the rest were taken into custody Zamin Shah, Yameen Chachar and Umed Ali were atrociously tortured and were later extrajudicially killed in a fake encounter. Zamin Shah was from JSMM and the other two were from Jeay Sindh Tehreek. Please see the urgent appeal AHRC-UAC-112-2013.
I therefore call upon you to immediately recover Mr. Sajjad Shah, a minor. If there is any criminal charge against him, he should be produced before the court. I also urge the government to protect his life, as there are fears that he will be killed in military custody like his two older brothers. The government must stop enforced disappearance and criminalise it by making a law against disappearances.
Yours Sincerely,
……………….
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif
Prime Minister
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1596
Tel: +92 51 920 6111,
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk, pspm@pmsectt.gov.pk
2. Mr. Murad Ali Shah
Chief Minister of Sindh
The Government of Sindh Province
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 2000
Email: pressecy@cmsindh.gov.pk
3. Mr. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan
Minister
Ministry of Interior of Pakistan
R Block, Pak Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9212026
Fax: +92 51 9202624
Email: interior.complaintcell@gmail.com, ministry.interior@gmail.com
4. Mr. Kamran Michael
Minister For Human Rights
Through Secretary, Ministry of Human Right
ministry of human rights
State Life Building No. 5, Blue Area, Jinnah Avenue, China Chowk,
Islamabad
Tel: 051-9216620,
Fax: 051-9216621,
Email: secretary@mohr.gov.pk
5. Mr. Tahir Shahbaz
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9213452
Email: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
6. Chief Justice of Sindh High Court
High Court Building
Saddar, Karachi
Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9213220
7. Home Minister,
Government of Sindh
Barrack 79, Pakistan Secretariat
Near MPA hostel
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9204456
Tel: +92 21 9201920-1
E-mail: secy.home@sindh.gov.pk
8. Justice Majida Rizvi
Regional Directorate of Human Rights,
Block no. 5, Sindh Secretariat No.4-A, Frere Road, Karachi.
Ph: 92-21-99205835
Fax: 92-21-99205837
Email: justicerazvi@hotmail.com
Thank you.
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
