Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the abduction of a minor from the Bhutto family home. Previously, two brothers from this family were abducted, disappeared and extra-judicially killed. A video of their sister went viral on social and electronic media. She was narrating how persons from military intelligence agencies, particularly the Inter-Service Intelligence agency (ISI), continuously raid her home. They abduct male members and keep them in military torture cells. Her young nephew was abducted and taken away by ISI personnel and his whereabouts are still unknown. After being detained for three days, her maternal nephew was released from a military torture cell and told to keep quiet about the situation.
CASE NARRATIVE:
On July 8, 2017 at 3.30 a.m. some persons in uniform and plain clothes identified themselves as being from the intelligence agency, the ISI. Police raided the house of Mr. Muzaffar Bhutto, a prominent nationalist leader who was extra-judicially killed. They abducted his young nephew, his sister’s son, a Fine Arts student in Sindh University. During the raid, the State Agents broke down the door of the house and rushed inside. They beat the women and took away Mr. Awais Bhutto, the nephew of slain leaders of Jeay Sindh Mutehda Mahaz (JSMM).
After the raid, Ms. Rani, a sister, sent a video recorded message about the ordeal faced by her family members. It went viral on social, print and electronic media. Please see the link…. and here is its translation in English. Please see the video link here, https://youtu.be/LdnNbZmObM8
She says, “At 3.30 am on July 8, her home at Hyderabad (Sindh province) was raided by a huge number of police, Pakistan Rangers, and ISI. They jumped the boundary walls and broke down the door. The ISI pointed guns at the women and searched the whole house at this late hour. My elder brother, Muzaffar Bhutto, was two times abducted and extra-judicially killed. My other brother, Mr. Mumtaz Bhutto, was assassinated, and two brothers were arrested. ”.
She says, “This state (Pakistan) is a shameless state. All women are confined to the house. We all have small children and if they become sick, their future is at stake. Law Enforcement personnel came to arrest my other nephew, Ranjho, who is young, and the only male person remaining in the family. They took away a laptop, a motorcycle and jewelry. Their intention is to force us to leave JSSM and not to talk about freedom for Sindh”.
After three days of illegal custody, Mr. Awais was released. But he is not talking to anyone about the ordeals he is facing.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The security agencies are searching for terrorists who are involved in anti-state activities. This concerns terrorist attacks carried out on railway lines and sensitive communication installations. In this regard the Military and Rangers had previously arrested Mr. Muzaffar Bhutto, the general secretary of JSMM, on October 2005 from Karachi. He was disappeared for almost for 14 months. After his release he told the media and the anti-terrorist Court that he was kept in a military torture cell at Hyderabad, Sindh, cantonment area. He was severely tortured. He was not able to walk properly as his spine was injured from torture and he had to undergo two operations. He told the Court that he was tortured by officials of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). They wanted him to confess that he and his group were running the Sindh Liberation Army (SLA), which had close links with Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), and were involved in sabotage activities in Sindh Province.
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-078-2011/?searchterm=Muzaffar%20Bhutto
Mr. Bhutto was again disappeared after his arrest by law enforcement agencies on 25 February 2011. He was travelling on that day in his car with his wife and younger brother. They were stopped by some twenty men in plain clothes who came out of unmarked cars. They were escorted by Police waiting in the Saeedabad Tool Plaza area in Hyderabad city of Sindh Province. According to eyewitness accounts, after a brief scuffle during which police fired three rounds into the air, Muzaffar Bhutto was forcibly detained at gun point.
Please find links of some cases
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-019-2016/?searchterm=JSMM
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-068-2015/?searchterm=JSMM
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-025-2017/?searchterm=JSMM
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-044-2014/?searchterm=JSMM
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-202-2014/?searchterm=JSMM
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the following persons, calling them to stop the harassment of family members of Muzaffar Bhutto, who was killed extra-judicially by security forces in 2011. The authorities must provide full protection for the family members and release those who were arrested but still missing. Officials from the security agencies must be arrested and prosecuted for raiding the Bhutto’s home, torturing the women and abusing the sanctity of their home where women and family members were residing
The AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, calling for its intervention into this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
PAKISTAN: Family of extra-judicially killed Bhutto brothers needs protection
Name of victim: The family members of slain Muzaffar Bhutto, resident of Hyderabd, Sindh province
Names of alleged perpetrators: Security Agencies of Pakistan
Date of incident: July 8, 2017
Place of incident: Hyderabad, Sindh
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the abduction of a minor from the Bhutto family. Two brothers were previously abducted, disappeared and extra-judicially killed. A video of their sister went viral on social and electronic media. She was narrating how persons from military intelligence agencies particularly the Inter Service Intelligence Agency (ISI) continuously raid her home. They abduct male family members and keep them in Military torture cells. She says that her young nephew was abducted and taken away by ISI personnel and his whereabouts are still unknown.
After three days, her maternal nephew was released from the military torture cell and keeps silent about the situation.
According the information I received, on July 8, 2017 at 3.30 a.m. some persons in uniform and plain clothes identified themselves as being from the intelligence agency, the ISI. Police raided the house of Mr. Muzaffar Bhutto, a prominent nationalist leader who was extra-judicially killed. They abducted his young nephew, his sister’s son, a Fine Arts student in Sindh University. During the raid, the State Agents broke down the door of the house and rushed inside. They beat the women and took away Mr. Awais Bhutto, the nephew of slain leaders of Jeay Sindh Mutehda Mahaz (JSMM).
After the raid, Ms. Rani, a sister, sent a video recorded message about the ordeal faced by her family members. It went viral on social, print and electronic media. Please see the link…. and here is its translation in English. Please see the video link here, https://youtu.be/LdnNbZmObM8
She says, “At 3.30 am on July 8, her home at Hyderabad (Sindh province) was raided by a huge number of police, Pakistan Rangers, and ISI. They jumped the boundary walls and broke down the door. The ISI pointed guns at the women and searched the whole house at this late hour. My elder brother, Muzaffar Bhutto, was two times abducted and extra-judicially killed. My other brother, Mr. Mumtaz Bhutto, was assassinated, and two brothers were arrested. ”.
She says, “This state (Pakistan) is a shameless state. All women are confined to the house. We all have small children and if they become sick, their future is at stake. Law Enforcement personnel came to arrest my other nephew, Ranjho, who is young, and the only male person remaining in the family. They took away a laptop, a motorcycle and jewelry. Their intention is to force us to leave JSSM and not to talk about freedom for Sindh”.
After three days of illegal custody, Mr. Awais was released. But he is not talking to anyone about the ordeals he is facing.
I, therefore, call upon you to stop the harassment of family members of Muzaffar Bhutto, who was killed extra-judicially by security forces in 2011. The authorities must provide full protection for the family members and release those who were arrested but still missing. Officials from the security agencies must be arrested and prosecuted for raiding the Bhutto’s home, torturing the women and abusing the sanctity of their home where women and family members were residing.
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)
