PAKISTAN: Government must hold judicial inquiry in the case of burning alive of two nationalist leaders

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that two nationalists from Sindh province, Mr. Maqsood Quereshi and Mr. Salman Wadho, were shot and injured from close range and then burnt alive. Their charred bodies were found in the car when they were going to organize a freedom march rally in Karachi on the occasion of March 23, the national day, also known as Pakistan Republic Day. The Quereshi’s elder brother, chief of Jeay Sinsh Quomi Mahaz, was also poisoned to death in the year 2012. In the year 2011, six young activists of Jeay Sindh Mutehda Mahaz were also burnt alive when they were going to organize a rally for their rights. The post mortem report of two leaders confirms that in total five bullet shots were found from the body of Queshi and his party colleague Wadho. The government is reluctant to hold a judicial inquiry about the mysterious incidents of burning alive the Sindhi nationalists.

The nationalist circles accuse the Punjab (what? Government?) for the killings in Balochistan and Sindh and also accusing Punjabi politicians and military for changing the demography of the province by using discriminative methods against the indigenous people of the Sindh.

CASE NARRATIVE:

On March 21, just two days before the “Pakistan Day” when Jeay Sindh Quomi Mahaz (JSQM) decided to hold the Freedom March to force the federation to recognize the rights of the indigenous people of Sindh, the charred bodies of two leaders of JSQM were found in the early hours in a car. (In the photo: 5 million Sindhis demand freedom. Courtesy: Sarmachar).

The JSQM leader, Mr. Maqsood Qureshi along with his party colleague Mr. Salman Wadho, was travelling in their car Naushero Feroz to Karachi to organize their rally in Karachi on “Pakistan’s Republic Day”. Near the Bhirya road, Naushehro Feroz district, Sindh province, unknown assailants ambushed them and burnt down their car with them trapped inside.. They were identified by the car registration number. The medical report confirmed that they were burnt and shot from close range before death.

The government of Pakistan and even Supreme Court of Pakistan, famous for taking Sou Moto cases, are conspicuously avoiding to order a judicial inquiry in the extra judicial killing of Sindhi Nationalists.

There were protests and demonstrations across the Sindh province against the extra judicial killings of the Sindhi nationalist. Later On, on March 23, the Sindhi people from all over the province held a huge protest rally against the killing, the Sindh government tried to stop it but it was foiled by the Sindhi people.

The elder brother of Qureshi, Mr. Basheer Qureshi, a veteran Sindhi nationalist, was also murdered in 2012. The medical reports had then confirmed that he was slow poisoned to death
Bashir Quereshi had also faced several attacks on him and in such an attack in 2012 two assassin were hunted downed by Bashir’s guards. One of the attackers was found to be an official of notorious state agency ISI, whose name was Syed Mustafa Zahid. The Sindhi nationalist’s leaders have always been potential targets for the ISI. He was famous for organizing huge rallies on the Pakistan Day on March 23 every year. The Sindh nationalist observes this day as the black day.

The persecution of Sindhi nationalist become evident by similar incidents targeting them In 2011, three prominent Sindhi nationalist from another organization, the Jeay Sindh Mutehda Mahaz, were burnt alive when they were travelling in their car to organize a protest rally.

On August 14, 2013, the Sindhi nationalists were killed in encounter which was later on proved to be a fake encounter. Please see the link http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-112-2013/?searchterm=afzal%20panhwar

On August 15, 2013, a Sindhi student leader was killed extra judicially by police, please find here the link of video of fake encounter:http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-212-2013/?searchterm=afzal%20panhwar

Another nationalist and political activist was killed by law enforcement agencies after severe torture on February 2014:
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-021-2014/?searchterm=JSSM

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

A list of the missing persons from Sindh is given below for reference and all of them killed by law enforcement agencies during the custody:

1.Muzafar Bhutto: Muzafar Bhutto is general secretary of Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) he was kidnapped from new Saeedabad toll plaza on 24-02-2011 when he was travelling from sukkar to Hyderabad with his wife Saima Bhutto and his younger brother Shah Nawaz Bhutto. Some officers of the agencies stopped their car and kidnapped Muzafar Bhutto. Since then his whereabouts are unknown.

2. Riaz Kakepoto: Riaz Kakepoto is district president of Nawab Shah city JSMM, he was kidnapped from Rainbow Center Karachi on 11-04-2011 after finishing the 6 day hunger strike for the release of Muzafar Bhutto.

3. Ali Nawab Mahar: Ali Nawab Mahar is member of distract committee Nawab Shah city JSMM, he was also kidnapped from Rainbow Center Karachi on 11-04-2011 after finishing the 6 day hunger strike for the release of Muzafar Bhutto.

4.Shah Nawaz Bhutto: Shah Nawaz Bhutto is tulka president of Dulatpur city JSMM, he was also kidnapped from Rainbow Center Karachi 11-04-2011 after finishing the 6 day hunger strike for the release of Muzafar Bhutto..

5. Jam Bhutto: Jam Bhutto is member of Nawab Shah city JSMM, he was also kidnapped from rainbow center Karachi after finishing the 6 day hunger strike for the release of Muzafar Bhutto.

6. Agha Yasir: Agha Yasir ws kidnapped from Karachi. He was the divisional organizer of JSMM Karachi. Agha Yasir also the advocates at the Maleer Court of Karachi. After his kidnap Maleer Court judges & advocates boycotted the court for 24 hours.

7. Shafqat Brohi: Shafqat Brohi is the clerk of Maleer Court Karachi and kidnapped with Agha Yasir from Karachi.

8. Afzal Pahnwar: Afzal Pahnwar is a student of the University of Sindh and also president of JSMM university of Sindh, he was kidnapped from Hyderabad city on 26 June 2011

9.Sanaullah Bhatti: Sanaullah Bhatti is District president of Tando Muhammad Khan city he was also kidnapped from Hyderabad city on 2-7-2011

10.Mukhtiar Pahnwar: Mukhtiar Pahnwar is the secretary of JSMM district: Dadu sindh. He was kidnapped on 28-9-2011 from Chandni Chowk at 11 am. According to his relatives he was kidnapped by persons who came in two double cabin vehicles without any registration.

In addition to it on January 12 a senior lawyer who was pursuing cases of missing persons was shot dead by unidentified men here on Wednesday evening.

Maqbool-ur-Rahman advocate had recently gone to the Sindh High Court seeking protection after his life was threatened. His apprehensions proved correct when men sprayed his double cabin pickup with bullets.
The assailants were riding on motorcycles and were waiting for their target near Islamia College. As the vehicle slowed down due to cats eyes on the road, they started firing at it. Rahman, 49, died on the spot while his driver Yousuf was injured.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write the letters to the following authorities calling them to:

• To initiate a high judicial inquiry on the burning alive of Sindhi nationalists and genocide of the Sindhi nationalists by the state intelligence agencies;
• Stop the extra judicial killings of the leaders of Sindhi indigenous people;
• Pay the compensation to the bereaved families.

The AHRC writes a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Question of Extra Judicial Killing calling for his intervention into this matter.

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER