Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding a professor, a lawyer, and two activists from a political party, who have been arrested and disappeared by a law enforcement agency. One amongst those arrested were disappeared on October 23, and since then his whereabouts are unknown. The MQM-Altaf political part has been the target of a Military crackdown, ever since its leader Altaf Hussain raised a slogan against Pakistan. Recently, the arrested and disappeared political persons held a press conference and also enquired into the recovery of considerable ammunition from the vicinity of their leader’s residence, and proved law enforcement and the Military concocted this story. This infuriated the Military and led to the illegal arrest and disappearance of the party workers. It is apprehended by the family of the disappeared person that they will be killed extrajudicially.
Case Narrative:
The government of Pakistan is coming down hard on dissenters daring enough to oppose State policies of subjugation and oppression. On 22 October 2016, three members of MQM London group Hassan Zafar Arif, Kunwar Khalid Yunus, and Amjad Ullah Khan were arrested from outside Karachi Press Club, where they had arrived to address a press conference. Two days later, the Karachi police spokesmen, through a statement released to the media, stated that the leaders were detained under Maintaince of Public Order (MPO) for 30 days and sent to Central Prison Karachi.
Momin Khan Momin a prominent human right defender and a member of the MQM party was arrested on same day from Hyderabad city Sindh province he obtained bail from the magistrate however in contravention to court order Rangers arrested him again on 23rd October. He was sent to Police custody in Central Jail Hyderabad for 14 days after remaining missing for three days. During this time he was interrogated by the police, Rangers and intelligence agencies. Momin has been falsely charged of possessing illegal weapon according to his family the agencies are leveling and piling baseless and frivolous charges against him to extend his custody. Momin Khan’s lawyer has appealed the authorities to upgrade his status to B class prisoner so that his family is allowed to meet him.
Another party member, Advocate Sathi Ishaq has been disappeared and to date neither has any information emerged about his whereabouts nor has he been presented before the court.
Dr. Zafar Arif was taken into custody before he could enter the Karachi Press Club. He was taken in a Rangers mobile van to Rangers’ Headquarters where he was subsequently interrogated. Mr. Kunwar Khalid Yunus was also taken into custody on his way to Karachi Press Club and has been shifted to an undisclosed location.
Dr. Arif, an octogenarian, and highly reputed academic, was a former faculty member of the largest State owned university, Karachi University, in the Philosophy Department. Dr. Arif, who has authored several books on philosophy and subscribes to leftist ideologies was recently elected as leader of the newly-elected London Rabita Committee (a liaison committee) of MQM. His arrest came a week after he addressed a press conference where he condemned government action against his party, terming it atrocious.
During the press conference held on 15 October 2016, Dr. Arif demanded from the government stop operation and arrests of MQM workers and open former MQM headquarters, Nine Zero, and all the other offices that have been sealed.
The State in general, and Sindh rangers in particular, have adopted a policy of repression to maintain their writ and any dissent is dealt with brutally, resulting in further unrest in the Province. The intelligentsia, activists, and academics have been specifically targeted as they represent a voice of the repressed. Instead of curbing fundamentalists and cracking down on terrorist factions the State is bearing down hard on leftist and secular elements. As the State and agencies have been abetting and condoning the hard line religious fundamentalist zealots as non-State actors, academia and free thinkers have traditionally borne the brunt of State’s iron fist.
The freedom of expression has been a misnomer is Pakistan where free speech is curbed and muzzled under the guise of national interest, glory of Islam, and religious sentiments. Be it Military regime or civilian government, freedom of expression has never been allowed to flourish. The State has maintained a tight grip by disseminating state narrative through education system and persecuting non-conformist free thinkers.
In a pseudo democracy like Pakistan, where might is right, intellectuals have been targeted to silence dissent. Journalists, scholars, human rights defenders and political activists are routinely attacked for writing and commenting on religious extremism and abuses by security forces. Blasphemy law, Protection of Pakistan Act (PPA), Protection against Cyber Crime Act (PECA) and MPO are just some of the tools to curb free speech; State atrocities are given a legal cover through these legislations.
Additional information:
Mr. Abdul Wahid Baloch, another literary figure a poet and academic, has been disappeared since July 26. He is yet to be presented in court. He was offloaded from a passenger a check of passenger identity cards found Baloch written after his name, and taken away to an unknown place. Similar to Dr. Arif, Abdul Wahid Baloch was targeted for daring to speak for oppressed factions of the society. He organized several press conferences, protests, gatherings, and marches against the enforced disappearances of the Baloch people.
The disappearances and extrajudicial killings have become endemic and are seen by the state as the best solution to deprive the people of their fundamental rights and right to life. The “disappeared” individuals are not charged with any crime, and they never appear before any magistrate to challenge their detention or plead their innocence. They are not registered by State authorities, their whereabouts are kept unknown, each intelligence agency is unaware about the people disappeared by the other, and the victims are held indefinitely.
Suggested Action:
Please ask the authorities to immediately and safely recover Advocate Sathi Ishaq from Ranger custody. Please write letters to the authorities mentioned below asking them to release all the detained leaders of the party and drop frivolous charges against them. Please ask the authorities to take stern action against the officials of the rangers who had transcended their authority by disappearing and keeping in illegal custody all the members of MQM.
The AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) calling for its intervention into this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
PAKISTAN: Call to safely recover missing political activists from Karachi
Name of victim:
1. Dr. Hasan Zafar Arif
2. Kunwar Khalid Younus
3. Amjad ullah Khan
4. Momin Khan Momin
5. Advocate Sathi Ishaque
All belonging to the political party MQM
Names of alleged perpetrators: Rangers personnel
Date of incident: October 23rd 2016
Place of incident: Karachi Press Club, Karachi, Sindh Province
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the arrest and illegal detention of a professor, a lawyer, and two activists from a political party, who have been arrested and disappeared by a law enforcement agency. One amongst those arrested were disappeared on October 23, and since then his whereabouts are unknown. It is apprehended by the family of the disappeared person that they will be killed extrajudicially.
I am, shocked to know that the government of Pakistan is coming down hard on dissenters daring enough to oppose State policies of subjugation and oppression. On 22 October 2016, three members of MQM London group Hassan Zafar Arif, Kunwar Khalid Yunus, and Amjad Ullah Khan were arrested from outside Karachi Press Club, where they had arrived to address a press conference. Two days later, the Karachi police spokesmen, through a statement released to the media, stated that the leaders were detained under Maintaince of Public Order (MPO) for 30 days and sent to Central Prison Karachi.
It is shocking for me that Momin Khan Momin a prominent human right defender and a member of the MQM party was arrested on same day from Hyderabad city Sindh province he obtained bail from the magistrate however in contravention to court order Rangers arrested him again on 23rd October. He was sent to Police custody in Central Jail Hyderabad for 14 days after remaining missing for three days. During this time he was interrogated by the police, Rangers and intelligence agencies. Momin has been falsely charged of possessing illegal weapon according to his family the agencies are leveling and piling baseless and frivolous charges against him to extend his custody. Momin Khan’s lawyer has appealed the authorities to upgrade his status to B class prisoner so that his family is allowed to meet him.
Another party member, Advocate Sathi Ishaq has been disappeared and to date neither has any information emerged about his whereabouts nor has he been presented before the court.
Dr. Zafar Arif was taken into custody before he could enter the Karachi Press Club. He was taken in a Rangers mobile van to Rangers’ Headquarters where he was subsequently interrogated. Mr. Kunwar Khalid Yunus was also taken into custody on his way to Karachi Press Club and has been shifted to an undisclosed location.
I am appalled to know that Dr. Arif, an octogenarian, and highly reputed academic, was a former faculty member of the largest State owned university, Karachi University, in the Philosophy Department. Dr. Arif, who has authored several books on philosophy and subscribes to leftist ideologies was recently elected as leader of the newly-elected London Rabita Committee (a liaison committee) of MQM. His arrest came a week after he addressed a press conference where he condemned government action against his party, terming it atrocious.
During the press conference held on 15 October 2016, Dr. Arif demanded from the government stop operation and arrests of MQM workers and open former MQM headquarters, Nine Zero, and all the other offices that have been sealed.
The State in general and Sindh rangers in particular, have adopted a policy of repression to maintain their writ and any dissent is dealt with brutally, resulting in further unrest in the Province. The intelligentsia, activists, and academics have been specifically targeted as they represent a voice of the repressed. Instead of curbing fundamentalists and cracking down on terrorist factions the State is bearing down hard on leftist and secular elements. As the State and agencies have been abetting and condoning the hard line religious fundamentalist zealots as non-State actors, academia and free thinkers have traditionally borne the brunt of State’s iron fist.
I am horrified to know that the freedom of expression has been a misnomer is Pakistan where free speech is curbed and muzzled under the guise of national interest, glory of Islam, and religious sentiments. Be it Military regime or civilian government, freedom of expression has never been allowed to flourish. The State has maintained a tight grip by disseminating state narrative through education system and persecuting non-conformist free thinkers.
In a pseudo democracy like Pakistan, where might is right, intellectuals have been targeted to silence dissent. Journalists, scholars, human rights defenders and political activists are routinely attacked for writing and commenting on religious extremism and abuses by security forces. Blasphemy law, Protection of Pakistan Act (PPA), Protection against Cyber Crime Act (PECA) and MPO are just some of the tools to curb free speech; State atrocities are given a legal cover through these legislations.
I, therefore, call upon you to immediately and safely recover Advocate Sathi Ishaq from Ranger custody. Please release all the detained leaders of the party and drop frivolous charges against them. I also urge you to to take stern action against the officials of the rangers who had transcended their authority by disappearing and keeping in illegal custody the members of MQM.
Yours Sincerely,
……………….
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1.Mr. Mian Nawaz Sharif
Prime Minister
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1596
Tel: +92 51 920 6111, +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)
