PAKISTAN: Disappearances continue in Sindh with government officer and headmaster missing after recent arrest

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SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear ___________,

PAKISTAN: Disappearances continue in Sindh with government officer and headmaster missing after recent arrest

Name of victim: 
Mr. Hidayatullah Lohar, 53, head master government primary school in Golo Ganwans village, Naseerabad, Qambar shahdadkot district, Sindh province
khadim arijo , 57, Office Superintendent at ministry of Fod, Hyderabad, resident of Village Arija, Talika Burqani, district Larkana, Sindh.

Names of alleged perpetrators: Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, Sindh Police

Date of incident: April 17, 2016
Place of incident: Hyderabad and Larkana, Sindh

I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the new wave of enforced disappearances in Pakistan’s Sindh province, which has been under the Rangers’ operation for the last two years. The law enforcement agencies have cracked down against Sindhi nationalist groups, and in April itself, one government officer, a school headmaster and four political activists went missing after their arrest by police and plain clothed persons. The headmaster was arrested from school during school hours, while the government officer was arrested on his way to work. Furthermore, the whereabouts of 16 activists missing for the past one year are still unknown.

I am worried to know that on April 17, law enforcement officers took in custody one school headmaster and one government officer, who are since missing.

According to the information I received, Mr. Hidayatullah Lohar, son of Muhmmad Hashim Lohar, headmaster of a government primary school in Golo Ganwans village, Naseerabad, Qambar shahdadkot district, Sindh province, was at his school when four plain clothes persons and two police officers came at 8:45 a.m. and said they were from the government and wanted to inspect the school.

I condemn the action of law enforcement agencies that after spending some time in the school, the visitors asked the headmaster to come outside the school to talk about some matters. As Mr. Lohar went outside the school, the visitors pushed him in a double cabin jeep with no registration number plate, and drove away speedily alongside two other jeeps. Since then his whereabouts are unknown.

Mr. Lohar’s family members thought Mr. Lohar went to a meeting and will come back, but when he did not return, they went to Naseerabad police station, Qamber, where the police refused to provide any information. Furthermore, the station house officer (SHO), Sub Inspector Abdul Waheed, refused to file an FIR. When family members insisted to file a missing report, the SHO shouted at them and misbehaved. He also told them that whether they go to high court or any court, they would not find any redress because of the involvement of powerful forces. The family filed a petition in the High Court, Hyderabad Bench; the court has fixed date for hearing the case on April 26—many days later, a common practice in Pakistan, to perhaps let the person die in custody.

I am appalled to know that on the same day the same scenario was repeated by the law enforcement agencies. Also on April 17, Mr. Khadim Arijo, son of Daud Arijo, superintendent at ministry of Food of Sindh, was arrested at 9 a. m. when he was going to his office from his sister’s office. He was transferred from Larkana district to Hyderabad, where he was initially residing at his sister’s house at Guddu chowk. Some passersby informed the family members that two double cabin jeeps have taken him. At around 3 p.m. he contacted his family and told them he was at his office. However, he did not return home and although his cell phone was on for three days, he did not respond.

I am really saddened to know about the working of the police officers that they refuse to entertain the complaints from the aggrieved parties. The Police officers have informed that both Mr. Arijo and Mr. Lohar have been taken in custody for their affiliation with Jeay Sindh Quami Mahaz (Arisar group), a Sindhi nationalist group, struggling for the nationalist rights of Sindh. However, both families deny the victims’ affiliation with any nationalist or political group.

Four more activists from Jeay Sindh Quami Mahaz (Bashir Querashi group), Dr. Shayan Arijo, Mr. Aijaz Tunio, Agha Shahzaman and Bux Ali Mugheri were taken into custody in the last week of March 2017, from Hyderabad and Naseerabad districts respectively, by law enforcement agencies including Pakistan Rangers. Since then their whereabouts are unknown and their family members have been threatened not to inform the media or public.

Fifteen other activists from Jeay Sindh Mutehda Mahaz (JSMM) namely: Allah Wadhayo Mahar, Mujeeb Cholyani, Naveed Mirani, Sohail Raza Bhatti, Zahid Adeeb Buriro, Nadeem Siyal, Mudasir Kakepoto, Sunny Kakepoto, Altash Talpur, Farman Hingoro, Fayaz Dahri, Hosh Muhammad Qambrani, Liaquat Channa, Altaf Junoe have been missing for many months after their arrest.

I am distressed to know that more than 25 persons are missing since many months after their arrests by the law enforcement agencies and government have failed to recover them or produce them before the court of law.

Following are the persons;

Hosho Sheedi , district president, Jeay Sindh Liberal Front has been missing since 29 March 2017 after his arrest by law enforcement agencies.

Allah Wadhayo Mahar, 19, abducted from District Malir, Karachi, JSMM’s student activist missing since 08 Sept. 2014.

Naveed Mirani, 30, allegedly abducted from Malir Karachi. Laborer, JSMM activist missing since 07 August. 2015. 

Suhail Raza Bhatti, 34, allegedly abducted from Shahdadkot, District Qambar at Shahdadkot., JSMM’s student activist missing since Sept. 2015.

Zahid Adeeb Buriro, 28, allegedly from Pipri, Karachi. Laborer, JSMM activist missing since 27 July. 2016.

Mujeeb Cholyani, 38 years, trade unionist, missing from Warah, District Qambar at Shahdadkot. since 29 July 2016.

Nadeem Siyal, 35, abducted from Malir, Karachi, bank Officer, JSMM activist missing since August 1st, 2016.

Azeez Mudasir Kakepoto, 25, abducted from Warah town of District Qambar at Shahdadkot. 

Laborer, JSMM activist, missing since August 1st, 2016.

Sunny Kakepoto, 30, abducted from Daulatpur town of District Benazirabad, farmer, JSMM activist, missing since 10 November. 2016.

Hyder Khoso 42, abducted from Gulab Laghari Town of District Badin, shop Keeper, Nationalist activist missing since 15 November. 2016. 

Altash Talpur 22, abducted from Sindh Agricultural University Tando Jam, District Hyderabad, JSMM’s student activist missing since Dec. 9th, 2016.

Farman Hingoro, 22, abducted from Sindh Agricultural University, Tando Jam, District Hyderabad, Student activist missing since Dec. 9, 2016. 

Fayaz Dahiri, 29 years, abducted from Hingorja town, District Khairpur. Laborer, Deputy Divisional Coordinator of JSMM, missing since 25 December, 2016. 

Liaquat Chana, 40, abducted from Sukkur, Laborer, Senior JSMM activist Missing since December 27, 2016. 

Agha Shah Zaman, 32 years, abducted from his house in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Karachi, shop Keeper, JSQM activist missing since April 14th, 2017. 

Hosh Muhammad Qambran, 20, abducted by Rangers led LeAs from his house in Qasimabad, Hyderabad, Student Activist, Missing since March 31st, 2017.

Bux Ali Mugheri, 45, abducted by Rangers led LeAs from his house in Nasirabad, District Qambar Shahdadkot. Senior Nationalist activist, Missing since March 10th, 2017. 

Khadim Arijo, 55 years, abducted from Hyderabad, Sindh, Senior Nationalist Activist, missing since April 17th, 2017. 

Hidayat Lohar, 48, abducted from Nasirabad, District Qambar at Shahdadkot, Senior Nationalist Activist, missing since April 17th, 2017. 

Aijaz Tunio, 32, abducted from Nasirabad, District Qambar at Shahdadkot, Sindh, Laborer, JSMM Activist, missing since April 17th, 2017. 

Muhbat Khoso, 40, abducted from Matiari, Sindh, nationalist activist, missing since April 17th, 2017. 

Allah Wadhyo was abducted on September 8, 2014 from Gulshan-e-Maimar, Karachi. He was shot in head, assumed to be dead, was dumped with bodies. However, he survived the injuries and local men brought him to the nearest hospital. But Rangers abducted him again from the ICU, in front of his relatives one day later. Since, then his whereabouts are still unknown. Sohail Raza Bhatti, a former student leader of JSMM, was abducted from Shahdad Kot Degree College on September 17, 2015, since then he is missing.

Raja Mangi was abducted the spy agency on August 10, 2016 from his home at Khanwan town of Naushehro Feroze District, Sindh. Samiullah Vistro, a student was abducted on October 3, 2016, since then he is missing.

Daniyal Pirzado, student of 3rd-year Sociology at University of Sindh, was abducted by Rangers on December 05, 2016 from in front of his teachers and other fellow students, he is missing since then.

I, therefore, call upon you to ensure the safe recovery of the missing persons. If there are charges of any crimes against them, they must be brought before a court of law. I also voice my concern at the continuous heinous practice of the state of disappearing suspects after arrests. The authorities should also to enact a law against enforced disappearances as suggested by the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances in 2012.

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.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)