Dear friends,
The Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh province and his henchmen keep spreading terror among the villagers, grabbing land, stealing crops and abusing them. The Minister interfered in the enquiry against his special assistant by transferring the enquiry officer from his post. He also restored the former investigation officer as station head officer (SHO.) This officer was booked in a murder case in the same police station where the murder case was filed. Other high officials and appointed enquiry officers, left the job because of pressure from the President of Pakistan and the Chief Minister. Up to the present time in the land grabbing case, three men were killed, twenty-four injured and many arrested.
CASE DETAILS:
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received the following information from the villagers of Nagar Makan, Talukah Daulatpur, Shaheer Benazirabad District, Sindh province. Mr. Ismail Dahri, special assistant to the Chief Minister, his henchmen, and his younger brother, Ali Dahri, are continuously harassing the villagers of the Nangar Union Council Daulatpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, formerly known as the Nawabshah district, in order to grab their land. Mr. Dahri, using local police and administration personnel, is attempting to grab the land of the Channa clan by asserting his power as Special Assistant.
The AHRC reported attacks on villagers in the Shaheed Benazirabad District to evict them from their land, (AHRC-UAC-132-2009). Three persons died in the shootings, several persons were wounded and others were arbitrarily arrested. The attacks, which took place in September and October 2009, were allegedly commanded by Mr. Ismail Dahri, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh province. He and his brother were responsible for the violence with the direct and indirect help of several policemen, which included some high placed officers.
In 2000, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Channa, a local activist of the Pakistan Peoples Party and friend of Mr. Dahri, started illegal construction on plots numbered 108 and 109, in Talukah Daulatpur, Shaheer Benazirabad District. After a court decision in 2005 did not grant him the land, he decided to get it by force and used his connections to do so. Mr. Dahri, who was nominated special assistant to the Chief Minister because he is a friend of the Pakistan President Asif Zardari, has no legal authority in his position on such matters. He used the police force to further his own personal interests to aid and abet his friend to grab land. He clearly abused his position to commit illegal acts and is now responsible for the death, injury and illegal arrest of several innocent villagers.
The villagers of Nangar Union Council Daulatpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, have filed a petition with the Sindh High Court in Karachi, through Mr. Mukhtar Ahmed Channa on 1 October 2009. They are asking for action to be taken against the members of the ruling party. The Sindh High Court then nominated Mr. AD Khowaja, Director of the federal investigation agency (FIA) as enquiry officer on 11 November 2009. He was to conduct an enquiry regarding the matter under the case number CP/D2186/2009. However, he refused to conduct the enquiry. According to the local newspapers, the president of Pakistan asked him to refrain from the case. He himself said that he was under pressure from different powerful people not to conduct an enquiry against the Special Assistant.
The district police officer of Huderabad district, Mr. Odho, was appointed enquiry officer but he also refused, because of the involvement of the Chief Minister and the President.
Then, the Sindh High Court in Karachi nominated Mr. Bashir Memon, deputy inspector of police (DIG operations) in Hyderabad as enquiry officer on 3 December 2009. He conducted the enquiry and submitted a report to the High Court on 22 January 2010. In his report, Mr. Memon categorically stated that cases filed by the Special Assistant against the villagers are fictitious. It was recommended that the court suspend the two deputy police superintendents together with the Daulatpur police station head officer. The court acted on the report of DIG, suspended the police officers and quashed the cases against the villagers by its decision on 10 February 2010.
During the enquiry proceedings, the Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, at the Hyderabad airport on 7 January snubbed the DIG Mr. Memon and instructed him not to investigate the case against Mr. Dahri, the Special Assistant. Mr. Memon felt insulted and took eight days leave but continued with his enquiry. As a result, he was transferred from his post and made an officer on special duty (OSD), thus releasing him from the post in DIG Operations, Hyderabad region.
However, Mr. Dahris henchmen, especially his brother Mr. Ali Raza Dahri, kept terrorizing the villagers. Throughout January and February, they attacked the village, grabbing lands and crops. On 14 February 2010, escorted by the police, they loaded a tractor trolley with stolen sugarcane. Mr. Dahris henchmen started abducting Channa clan villagers, beating them severely. Mr. Basharat Mallah, the police stations head officer (SHO) was re-instated in his position by Mr. Dahri, even though he was booked in a murder case in the same police station. Basharat replaced Mr. Gul Hasan Zardari as SHO, who also implicated Dahri in the wrong doings in the village.
On 27 March 2010, in the latest development in the case, a villager, Muhammad Saleem Channa, Cane Manager at Al-Noor Suger Mills, was on his way to his office. Ten heavily armed men, headed by Ali Raza Dahri, forcibly stopped his vehicle and ordered him to come out. They kidnapped him and brought him to a place nearby. There, forced to fully undress, he was beaten with rifle butts. Villagers managed to intervene and the perpetrators ran away. This was an especially traumatizing event for the villagers and more so for Mr. Muhammad Saleem Channa, who remains in shock.
Various FIRs have been registered against Ali Raza Dahri and his accomplices, but no action has yet been taken against them. On the contrary, Mr. Basharat Mallah, Investigation Officer of the Police Station in Daulatpur saffan, and alleged murderer of one villager, Abdul Ghafoor Channa (FIR No 125/2009), was re-instated in his position, after the intervention of Mr. Ismail Dahri.
The Rule of Law is not respected anywhere in Pakistan, partly due to political collusion and corruption. Strong measures must be taken to put an end to feudal practices and the culture of impunity.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the following authorities to put an end to the misuse of authority by Mr. Ismail Dahri and the policemen of Shaheer Benazirabad District. The Rule of law should be restored and the villagers should be able to go back freely and safely to their land with no threat of violence, arrest, or theft of crops.
The perpetrators should be held responsible for the deaths of the three persons killed, as well as for the injury and illegal arrest of the villagers. Those illegally arrested should be immediately released and the FIRs registered against them quashed.
Please, finally urge the authorities to see that all perpetrators are punished and that victims, including Mr. Channa, are granted commensurate reparation.
The AHRC has also written letters to the special rapporteur on housing rights and the rule of law.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PAKISTAN: A Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh province keeps spreading terror in Nagar Makan village ; a villager abused
Name of victims:
Villagers of Nangar Makan village, Taluka Daulatpur, Shaheed Benazirabad District
Mr. Muhammad Saleem Channa, kidnapped and beaten
Name of alleged perpetrators:
1.Mr. Muhammad Ismail Dahri, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh province
2. Mr. Ali Raza Dahri, a resident of Salar Dahri village and brother of Mr. Dahri..
3. Mr. Ghulam Nabi Channa, a local member of the Pakistan People’s Party; he sought Mr. Dahri’s help to grab the land from the villagers
4. Mr. S. Zulfiqar Ali Shah, town police officer (TPO) of the Daulatpur Saffan Police Station
5. Mr. Aijaz Tareen, town police officer, Nawabshah district,
6. Mr. Bisharat Mallah, senior investigation officer of police, Daulatpur
7. Mr. Yaqoob, proclaimed offender
8. Sharafat, proclaimed offender
9. Mohabat Ali Channa, proclaimed offender
10. Abdul Karim channa, proclaimed offender
Date of incident: September 2009; 27 March 2010
Place of incident: Nangar Makkan, UC-Shahpur Jehania Taluka Dualatpur District Shaheed Benazirabad (formerly Nawab Shah), Sindh province,
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the complete absence of the Rule of Law in Nangar Makan village, Taluka Daulatpur, Shaheed Benazirabad District, due to the abuse of power by Mr. Ismail Dahri, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh Province.
Ever since his first attempt to grab land from the villagers in September 2009, which led to the death of three persons, Mr. Dahri, was helped by his accomplices and some district policemen. He has repeatedly terrorized the victims, grabbing land, stealing crops and abusing villagers. On 14 February 2010, escorted by the police, they appropriated stolen sugarcane, loaded it on a tractor trolley and took it away.
On 1 October 2009, the villagers, of Nangar Union Council Daulatpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, filed a petition with the Sindh High Court in Karachi, through Mr. Mukhtar Ahmed Channa, asking that action be taken against the members of the ruling party. The Sindh High Court then appointed Mr. AD Khowaja, Director of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as enquiry officer on 11 November 2009. He was directed to conduct an enquiry regarding the matter under case number CP/D2186/2009 but he refused. According to the local newspapers, he was asked by the President of Pakistan to refrain from the case. He said that he was under pressure from different powerful people not to hold the enquiry against the Special Assistant.
The Huderabad district police officer, Mr. Odho, was appointed enquiry officer but he also refused to carry on the enquiry because of the involvement of the Chief Minister and the President.
Then, the Sindh High Court in Karachi appointed Mr. Bashir Memon, deputy Inspector of Police (DIG operations) Hyderabad range as enquiry officer on December 3, 2009. He reported that the claims were fictitious further suggesting that the court suspend two deputy police superintendents and the Daulatpur police station head officer. The court acted on the DIG recommendations by suspending the police officers and quashing the cases against the villagers by its decision of 10 February 2010.
During the enquiry proceedings, the Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, at the Hyderabad airport on January 7, snubbed the DIG Mr. Memon and instructed him not to investigate the Special Assistant, Mr. Dahri. Mr. Memon felt most insulted and took eight days leave but still continued his enquiry. Then he was transferred from his post and made an officer on special duty (OSD), thereby releasing him from the post of DIG Operations, Hyderabad region.
However, Mr. Dahris henchmen, especially his brother Mr. Ali Raza Dahri, kept terrorizing the villagers. Throughout January and February, they attacked the village and grabbed lands and crops. On 14 February 2010, escorted by the police, they loaded a tractor trolley with stolen sugarcane and took it away. Mr. Dahris accomplices started abducting Channa clan villagers, beating them severely. Mr. Basharat Mallah, the police station head officer (SHO) was re-instated in his position by Dahri, though he was booked in a murder case in the same police station. Basharat replaced Mr. Gul Hasan Zardari as SHO, who also implicated Dahri in the wrong doings in the village.
On March 27, 2010, in the latest development, a villager, Muhammad Saleem Channa, Cane Manager at Al-Noor Suger Mills, was on his way to his office. Ten heavily armed men, headed by Ali Raza Dahri, forcibly stopped his vehicle and ordered him out. They kidnapped him and brought him to a place nearby. There, he was forced to fully undress, and beaten with rifle butts. Villagers managed to intervene and the perpetrators ran away. This was an especially traumatizing event for the villagers and more so for Mr. Muhammad Saleem Channa, who remains in shock.
Various FIRs have been registered against Ali Raza Dahri and his accomplices, but no action has yet been taken against them. On the contrary, Mr. Basharat Mallah, investigation officer of Police Station Daulatpur saffan and alleged murderer of one villager, Abdul Ghafoor Channa (FIR No 125/2009) has been re-appointed to his job, after the intervention of Mr. Ismail Dahri.
I urge you to take strong measures in order to put an end to this appalling situation. All alleged perpetrators should be properly investigated and punished, if found guilty of charges of murder, theft and violence against the villagers. Strong disciplinary measures should be taken against Mr. Ismail Dahri, who repeatedly abused his power and against the policemen who helped him.
The Rule of Law must be restored and the villagers must be able to go back freely and safely to their land with no threat of violence, arrest or theft of crops. Commensurate reparations must be granted to the victims and their families.
Lastly, where collusion and corruption are made light of, a thorough investigation should be carried out so that the Rule of Law prevails and the perpetuation of the culture of impunity in Pakistan is diminished.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan
Governor of Sindh province
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 5043
Tel: +92 21 920 1201
E-mail: governor@governorsindh.gov.pk
2. Syed Qaim Ali Shah
Chief Minister
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 2000
Email: pressecy@cmsindh.gov.pk
3. Mr.Syed Mumtaz Alam Gillani
Federal Minister for Human Rights
Ministry of Human Rights
Old US Aid building
Ata Turk Avenue
G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +9251-9204108
Email: sarfaraz_yousuf@yahoo.com
4. Mr. Muhammad Ayaz Soomro
Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs & Criminal Prosecution Service
Sindh Assembly Building,
Court road, Karachi, Sindh province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9211982
E-mail: secy.law@sindh.gov.pk
5. Chief Justice of Sindh High Court
High Court Building
Saddar, Karachi
Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9213220
E-mail: registrar@sindhhighcourt.gov.pk
6. Ms. Nadia Gabol
Minister for Human Rights
Government of Sindh,
Pakistan secretariat, Barrack 92,
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9207044
Tel: +92 21 9207043
E-mail: lukshmil@yahoo.com
7. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9213452
E-mail: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
8. Inspector General of Police
Sindh Province,
Police Head office, I. I. Chundrigar road
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9212051
E-mail: ppo.sindh@sindhpolice.gov.pk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
