PAKISTAN: Call for safe recovery of disappeared social media activist and two nationalists

ISSUES: Enforced Disappearances, torture, arbitrary detention, failed justice system

The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC-HK) have received information that three activists from Sindh province are disappeared after the arrest by law enforcement agencies.

The received information reveals that a social media activist, Mr. Nadir Ali Bhangwar was missing from October 12, 2018,while  two other  Sindhi nationalists Mr. Rafiq Umrani,and Mr. Khalid Solangi have been missing since September 14, 2018, and  August 22, 2018 respectively.

According to the details received  a 25-year-old ,social media activist and a writer, Mr.  Nadir Ali Bhangwar son of Imam Ali Bhangwar, resident of Noshehroferoz, Sindh, working in a textile mills in Karachi, was picked up by  men in police uniforms and other plain clothed personnel from intelligence agencies  from his make shift resident in Goshat wali gali, Quaidabad, Karachi. Within a span of five months Nadir was disappeared twice.

 He was first picked up on  June 7th ,  and  kept in a torture cell of intelligence agency for seven days. While there Nadir was grilled by the interrogators about his affiliations with different student organizations particularly about the Jeay Sindh Mutehda Mahaz (JSMM) and its activities with regards to anti-state activities. He informed them that he was basically anti violence so he left all his previous affiliation.

Before his arrest his father and brother were also picked up but later released, following their release Nadir was arrested. Since October 12, his whereabouts are unknown. The family members suspects that he is being kept at an illegal detention center run by intelligence agency, they fear that Nadir would be tortured to extract confession of his  involvement  in anti-state activities and bomb blasts.

Mr. Rafique Umrani, a Sindhi nationalists was picked up on September 14, 2018 from his home town of Larkana by the police and plain clothed persons. Since then his whereabouts are unknown. He belongs to a Sindhi nationalist party, the JSQM.

Another Sindhi activist Mr. Khalid Solangi son of Nizamuddin, resident of Vakro Dokri, district Larkana, has been missing since August 22, 2018, after his arrest by the law enforcement agencies. Since then his whereabouts are unknown.  He was the activist of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM).

The disappeared persons have been kept in arbitrary detention, gone without a trace the family members fear for the worst. Disappearances though, a common phenomenon, is far from being resolved as those involved in the heinous crime do so with full and unquestionable impunity.

The IHRC-HK has documented several cases of individuals who have disappeared and the state apparatus does little to help the family find them. In such lawlessness it is no wonder that the family begs to know if their loved one is dead or alive. They are asking for closure of the wound inflicted upon them for no fault of theirs.

IHRC-HK condemns the heinous act and demands the release of thousands of disappeared persons who kept in illegal custody. IHRC-HK also demands the international community to play its part to urge the state of Pakistan to legislate against enforced and involuntary disappearances so that rule of law may prevail.

Thank You