Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Mohammad Khan Lund, a human rights activist is presently in Deeplo Jail after being implicated in 57 cases allegedly by his political rival Dr. Arbab Rahim. The police at his instigation tortured Mr. Lund on several occasions at Deeplo police station and have also harassed his four sons and other family members.
UPDATE INFORMATION:
In December 2007, Mr. Mohammad Khan Lund was arrested which was three months before the election that was to be held on the 18 February 2008. Mr. Lund was to be a rival candidate against Dr. Arbab Rahim from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Dr. Rahim is a strong party member of the Muslim League–Q Sindh Branch and is known to be a close associate of President Musharraf.
Mr. Lund is a popular figure as he has been a human rights activists and a political worker for a long time, particularly working for scheduled caste Hindus who are generally subjected to bonded labour by powerful landlords in the area. Dr. Rahim himself is a powerful landlord in the area and is known to be having private jails of his own. Mr. Lund had worked to free such prisoners and in fact was able to secure the release of about five hundred of them. Mr. Lund has worked in Tharpaker District which is one of the biggest desserts areas in the country bordering India. It was his work for the poor in this area which made him a direct target of attempted murder, arrest, threats, intimidation and torture.
On 27 December 2007, the day of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Mr. Lund was also severely assaulted and injured by persons he believes to have worked under the instruction of the former chief minister, Mr. Rahim. By the time he regained consciousness he was in a jail charged under 40 First Information Reports (FIRs). Thirty three FIRs were also filed against his sons and relatives. Now he is in the District Jail, Deeplo, Tharparke District, Sindh province
Mr. Lund submitted his papers earlier from the PPP to contest the elections but his nomination papers were rejected allegedly due to the influence exercise by the former chief minister. Mr. Lund then became the chief poling agent of Mr. Wali Mohammad Rahimo who replaced him as the candidate for the elections. Mr. Lund also states that he was poisoned while in jail in January and he survived only because of the intervention of several jail mates who rushed him to the prison hospital.
Previously to this Mr. Lund had been arrested in 2005 due to the intervention of the ex-chief minister and was implicated in some fabricated charges. During this time he was tortured on several occasions at the Deeplo Police Station. He was later released without any charges.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
The violations revealed in this case points out the practice of powerful landlords who are also powerful politicians in this extremely poor and backward area of Pakistan. In these areas these power landlords cum politicians have enormous influence with the police and are able to implicate innocent persons in serious crimes for the purpose of having them in jail for their personal agendas. The police officers in turn obtain rewards including promotions due to the influence of their patrons.
The legal system in Pakistan does not allow any room for making complaints about such gross abuses of human rights and the victims such as Mr. Lund do not have any legal avenue to pursue their grievances. As a result they might languish in jail for as long as the police and these powerful persons want them there. There is also no avenue to complain to higher police authorities about the conduct of these police stations. Such abuse of power is quite common at police stations, particularly in the remote areas.
The AHRC urges the immediate release of Mr. Lund and if there are any charges against him to prove these charges before a court. The AHRC also urges the human rights community in Pakistan and throughout the world to lobby for his release. Further, inquiries must be held against the abuse of power by the police in filing FIRs which are fabricated and for working at the instigation of powerful landlords and politicians.
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SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the government authorities below urging them to immediately release Mr. Lund and to investigate the abuse of power by the police.
The AHRC has also written letters to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture calling for immediate intervention in this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
PAKISTAN: A man falsely implicated in 57 First Information Reports (FIRs) and his family members are also facing 33 FIRs
Name of victims:
1. Mr. Mohammad Khan Lund, facing 57 FIRs; presently held in District jail Deeplo, Tharparke District, Sindh province, Pakistan
2. four of his sons and several relatives, facing 33 FIRs
Name of alleged perpetrators: Dr. Arbab Rahim, Former chief minister of Sindh province and
President of Pakistan Muslim League- Q (Sindh province) Tharparker, Sindh province, Pakistan
Date of incident: Since December 2007
I am shocked to learn that a human rights activist and a political worker on behalf of the poor and low caste groups of Tharparker District, Sindh Province has been tortured, poisoned and illegally arrested and detained on fabricated charges allegedly at the instigation of a powerful landlord and politician who wants to prevent Mr. Lund from engaging in his political and social activities.
He has been incarcerated purely on the basis of First Information Reports (FIRS) which have not been properly investigated. As a result of these FIRs altogether 57 of them, he is now held in prison custody and therefore prevented from engaging in his usual political and social activities. His son and other relatives are also being constantly harassed.
According to the information received, in December 2007, Mr. Mohammad Khan Lund was arrested which was three months before the election that was to be held on the 18 February 2008. Mr. Lund is a popular figure as he has been a human rights activists and a political worker for a long time, particularly working for scheduled caste Hindus who are generally subjected to bonded labour by powerful landlords in the area. Dr. Rahim himself is a powerful landlord in the area and is known to be having private jails of his own.
Mr. Lund had worked to free such prisoners and in fact was able to secure the release of about five hundred of them. Mr. Lund has worked in Tharpaker District which is one of the biggest desserts areas in the country bordering India. It was his work for the poor in this area which made him a direct target of attempted murder, arrest, threats, intimidation and torture.
On 27 December 2007, the day of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Mr. Lund was severely assaulted and injured by persons he believes to have worked under the instruction of the former chief minister, Mr. Rahim. By the time he regained consciousness he was in a jail charged under 40 First Information Reports (FIRs). Thirty three FIRs were also filed against his sons and relatives.
Mr. Lund submitted his papers earlier from the PPP to contest the elections but his nomination papers were rejected allegedly due to the influence exercise by the former chief minister. Mr. Lund then became the chief poling agent of Mr. Wali Mohammad Rahimo who replaced him as the candidate for the elections. Mr. Lund also states that he was poisoned while in jail in January and he survived only because of the intervention of several jail mates who rushed him to the prison hospital.
In light of above, I urge an immediate investigation into this matter and the release of Mr. Lund. I also urge that this practice of filing FIRs at the instigation of powerful persons be thoroughly investigated and actions to be taken to stop this practice.
I look forward to hearing from you in this regard.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. General Pervez Musharraf
President
President’s Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1422, 4768/ 920 1893 or 1835
E-mail: (please see-> http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/WTPresidentMessage.aspx)
2. Mr. Afzal Haider
Minister of Law, Justice and Human Rights
S Block Pakistan Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 920 2628
E-mail: minister@molaw.gov.pk
3. Lieutenant General Hamid Nawaz
Federal Minister of Interior
Room#404, 4th Floor, R Block,
Pak Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: + 92 51 9212026
Fax: + 92 51 9202624
E-mail: minister@interior.gov.pk
4. Chief Justice of Sindh High Court
High Court Building
Saddar
Karachi
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9213220
E-mail: info@sindhhighcourt.gov.pk
5. Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan
Governor of Sindh province
Karachi
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 21 920 1201
Fax: +92 21 920 5043
6. Justice Rtd. Abdul Qadir Halepoto
Chief Minister of Sindh
Chief Minister House
Karachi
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 2000
7. Chief Secretary
Government of Sindh
Chief Secretariat,
Karachi, Sindh province,
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 21 921950
Fax: +92 21 9211946
E-mail: cs.sindh@sindh.gov.pk
8. Secretary
(Criminal Prosecution) SGA &CD Department
Government of Sindh
Sindh Secretariat,
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 21 9213327-6
Fax: +92 21 9213873
E-mail: secy.cpsd@sindh.gov.pk
9. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Supreme Court Building
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9213770
Fax: +92 51 9213452
E-mail: registrar@supremecourt.gov.pk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrchk.org)
