There have been many disappearances in Pakistan’s political history. The present disappearances are occurring in the Sindh and Balochistan provinces of the country, largely by law enforcement agencies. In response, Pakistani citizens have organised two protest rallies against these disappearances. One of these will be held in Karachi, Pakistan on April 28, 2006 organised by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). It will begin at 3pm from the Karachi Press Club to Regal Chowk Saddar, Karachi. The second one will be held in London at 10 Downing Street on April 30, 2006 under the banner of the World Sindhi Congress and Baluchistan Action Committee. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) supports these protests by civil society groups. Since Pakistan has been ruled by a military government, disappearances of persons have increased, particularly of those activists working on human rights issues.
A press statement issued by the HRCP noted that several cases of disappearances, illegal arrest and kidnapping had occurred recently, particularly in the Sindh province. It is believed that these individuals are picked up by law enforcing agencies and their family members often have no news of them for many months, or even years.
According to reports, more than 30 people in Sindh have recently disappeared after arrest. The Sindhi people are fighting for their share in the government. While the Sindh province earns 72 per cent of the country’s total revenue, it only gets 19 per cent of this. Its share of water has also been reduced from 23 to 11 per cent. Job opportunities are denied to Sindhi people while their lands are being grabbed by the armed forces under the guise of “service for the nation”.
A joint press release by the World Sindhi Congress, Baluchistan Action Committee, Baluchistan Rights Movement, World Sindhi Institute and Sindhi Baluch Forum has stated that the Pakistani military is carrying out a merciless operation against the Balochi people killing hundreds of innocent and displacing thousands of civilians. Many Balochi and Sindhi political activists are being targeted; they are tortured severely for crimes they have not committed, their houses are surrounded and at times even their water and electricity supplies are cut.
Balochistan is the poorest province in Pakistan, but has rich mineral resources, natural gas and petrol. The federal government has not been paying royalty to the province on these natural resources for several years, and nor is it giving the province its revenue share in accordance with the constitution. Military operations have been ongoing in Balochistan since 2001, with many reports of bombardments and firing in several areas to punish those resisting against the military. While the federal interior minister has stated that around 4000 Balochi people have been arrested, the HRCP as well as other groups claim that a much larger number of people have disappeared. Their whereabouts are not known.
The AHRC condemns such killings and disappearances of political and social activists. Such acts are unconstitutional and illegal, as well as inhuman. The AHRC has previously issued urgent appeals on the disappearance of a Balochi television managing director, a political and nationalist leader of the Sindh province, and other Balochi and Sindhi political activists and students. These persons are targeted for their political affiliations by law enforcement authorities. The AHRC has learned however, that there are many cases in higher courts of the government denying such arrests. Witnesses of such arrests are threatened when they attempt to testify.
The AHRC therefore demands that a judicial commission should be established to investigate the cases of disappearances and serve redress to the victims. The commission should comprise of high courts judges. All groups must continue to voice their protests against disappearances and other human rights abuses, and call for the prosecution of the perpetrators.
