PAKISTAN: Two journalists and members of their families face death threats from religious militant groups — police make no effort to arrest the perpetrators 

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding threats to the lives of two producers-cum-investigative journalists of a private electronic media house for unearthing a private detention centre run by a Muslim fundamentalist group. It is being operated under the guise of a rehabilitation center where people, from 4 to 50 years of age, are kept in chains, tortured and recruited for Jihad (holy war) in neighbouring countries. Their story with video footage received extensive coverage by all television channels and newspapers both within the country and internationally.

Both the journalists and their families are in hiding. Other family members have been attacked many times by members of the fundamentalists groups in an effort to force them to disclose the whereabouts of the journalists. The authorities are turning a blind eye to the threats in order to appease the Muslim fundamentalists. Furthermore, their employers have asked them not to come to office as the henchmen of the Muslim groups have encircled their office with the intention of abducting them.

CASE NARRATIVE:

Mr. Ghulamuddin, senior producer and Mohammad Aatif Khan, associate producer/news, Samaa TV aired an exclusive report on December 13, 2011 on the captivity of innocent students in chains at a seminary which jolted the media and concerned authorities. The subsequent crackdown by police led to the rescue of over fifty persons who were shackled in a basement. Dozens of children were recovered from a separate room. The illegal and private detention center and torture cell was operated under the name of ”Rehabilitation Center for Heroin addicts” where the people from 4 to 50 years of age were detained and punished for not following the orders of the detention center staff. The guards of the detention center claimed that they were running an Islamic seminary (Madressa).

Both the producers made the video through a concealed camera which was then aired in the evening of the same day and generated a heated debate among officials, diplomatic circles, human rights groups and civil society. The illegal detention center in the name of Dar-ul-Uloom Zakria Kandholi, an Islamic seminary, was run by a cleric, Mufti Dawood, the principal of the seminary, which was located on the outskirts of Karachi, the capital of Sindh province. The video shows how detained persons were kept in heavy chains. They complained that they were beaten daily and were not given proper food whereas their parents were paying huge amounts as monthly fees. Some students were provided with armed training and also to become suicide bombers and some were sent for holy war to Afghanistan against the US forces.

It is difficult to gauge the brutalities perpetrated on such a massive scale under the supervision of Mufti Dawood and this was the first case of its kind to be witnessed by anyone in the history of the metropolis. Authorities arrested Qari Usman, a subordinate of Mufit Dawood who managed to escape from the police raid and who remains at large.

Every scene and picture captured by through the hidden camera was an eye-opener. The miseries faced by the students in confinement depict a sheer violation of human rights. News channels and newspapers around the globe lifted the story of SAMAA TV and aggressively entered into the race for headlines, analysis and conducted shows.

As the video was aired at SAMAA TV more than 100 persons from Jihadi (Islamic warrior) groups attacked the station demanding that both journalists be handed over to them. They remained for many hours and, as is typical where religious extremism is concerned, the police and local administration did not come to rescue the employees of the channels. In desperation, the management of the TV channel asked both the producers not to come to the station and remain in hiding. The channel authorities had contacted the administration and provincial police for their safety but to date no action has been taken by the police and provincial government to assist.

Both of them have also left their homes as the militants attacked and picketed their houses and threatened their parents and siblings at gunpoint to hand them over otherwise they would face the same punishment designed for the producers. They cannot even go to a police station or court to lodge a police report against the militants as their movements are monitored. They are receiving death threats through SMS on their cell phones and have stopped using them. Ghulamuddin is hiding with his wife Tasleem Bano and Hayyan Shah Alisher (six month old infant) whereas Mohammad Aatif Khan and his wife are also facing imminent threats.

The Sindh government and police have dropped all efforts to arrest the main perpetrator, Mufti Dawood who was running the illegal detention center in close proximity to the concerned police station. It is believed that the perpetrator remains in Karachi and is continuing his nefarious designs. He ordered the abduction and killing of both the journalists and told his disciples that their death would serve the sacred cause of holy war against the US agents.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Both the journalists are famous for making documentaries on human rights and social issues including the exclusive stories on, child sexual abuse in the streets of Karachi, homosexuality among scavengers and street crimes, open sale of police uniforms, the culture of bribery in the public sector, mafia of female drug peddlers, jobless youth joining eunuch groups, extortion mafia, deforestation of mangroves and land reclamation, attestation of fake documents, prostitution and the lives of prostitutes, child labor in the carpet industry, bottlenecks in public transport, growing accidents of trailers, spiritual healers and social taboos, missing children are some of the most touchy topics due to which they had to face reaction and threats from various groups in past.

It is a stark reality that the State remains a silent spectator and the journalist community is facing a tough time while discharging the professional duties. The lives of journalists anywhere in Pakistan are unsafe and remain at the mercy of the powerful groups.

During the eleven months of 2011, journalists have faced the more insecurity and intolerance when compared with previous years. Indeed, there is no change from the military dictatorships of the past. 16 journalists were killed, among them five journalists were abducted by the state intelligence agencies, kept incommunicado in different torture cells, tortured and their bullet ridden bodies were dumped on the road side. Five journalists were killed in bomb blasts while performing their professional duties, six journalists were killed in target killings. One journalist remains missing after abduction by plain clothed persons.

In different attacks on journalists and media houses 35 working journalists, 10 camera men, one photographer, two drivers and one satellite engineer of print media and television channels were injured during the attacks, thrashed by officials and beaten by different groups. Three television channels were attacked, one was attacked on two occasions, and one FM radio station was also attacked. Two television channels were banned to stop their broadcasts.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities given below calling on them to provide security to the producers and investigative journalists who have saved the lives of at least 50 persons including children from the Muslim militants groups. Please urge the authorities to prosecute the concerned police officials for not arresting the real perpetrator for running illegal detention centers and keeping persons in chains. The parents and family members of both the journalists, Mr. Ghulamuddin and Mr. Aatif Khan, must be protected and rehabilitated to their homes.

The AHRC writes a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteurs on Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression calling for their interventions into this matter.

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