The International Human Rights Council (IHRC-HK) has received information of disappearance of a 27 year old young man from Islamabad. Suleman Farooq Chaudhary son of Professor Muhammad Sharif Chaudhry had been missing since the past two weeks and his whereabouts are still unknown.

CASE DETAILS

As per the victims's family Suleman was a young bright student who had recently completed his Master's degree in electrical engineering. He was aspiring to join civil services and was thereby preparing for the Central Superior service (CSS) exams.

Suleman used to give tuition at Bahria Town- a posh district of the capital city- housing many influential political figures as well as military bigwigs. On 4th October 2019 while he was returning home from Bahria Town he was picked by plain clothed men, the CCTV camera footage obtained by the family from Bahria Town administration showed Suleman's car being followed by a White Cultus and a black "Dala"- the car is now virtually notorious for being the carrier of choice in enforced disappearance.

Later in the night the family received a phone call from a traffic warden who asked the family to pick up Suleman's car which he found abandoned at Islamabad expressway.

The aggrieved family duly filed an application at Lohi Bher Police station of the disappearance of Suleman.

Though the youngster has no political inclination or association, Suleman has been was quiet vocal on social media, he was also critical of the ruling party. However his post were never offensive or demeaning towards any state institution.

As per the monthly progress report compiled by the Commission on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance (CoEID) 256 people have reportedly been disappeared from the capital city of Islamabad this year alone. While these constitute reported cases only many cases of enforced disappearances go unreported as the family of missing is threatened to remain silent and not report the crime.

In contravention to article 10 of the Constitution of Pakistan which provides for the immediate declaration of arrest of the detainee before the magistrate, the law enforcement agency has been given unbridled impunity and power to pick and disappear at will. those disappeared are deprived and denied their rights as citizens of the country. As is the norm with almost all cases of enforced disappearances , Suleman's family is clueless about his fate or whereabouts.

The International Human Rights Council (IHRC) urges upon the Pakistani authorities to immediately and safely recover Suleman if there is any case against him he should be brought before the court of law. The IHRC appeals the International Community including UN and human rights organisations to take notice of this and exert pressure upon Pakistan to stop human rights violations