The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Sindhi political and human rights activists remain the target of intelligence agencies of the security establishment. The body of a central leader of the Jeay Sindh Mutehda Mahaz (JSMM), a political group, was found on the roadside, hours after his abduction by ‘unknown persons’ presumed to be from the state intelligence agencies. A Sindhi political activist, a three wheeler driver was abducted and tortured. On his chest the abductors carved the word ‘Pakistan’. Another Sindhi nationalist and human rights activist is missing from November 2013 after his abduction by persons in police uniform. In the continuation of the victimization of Sindhi activists, two persons belonging to the JSMM, were burned alive in their car on the celebration of Pakistan Day. On another occasion three Sindhi activists were killed in fake encounter on Independence Day.
CASE NARRATIVE:
Mr. Munir Choliani, the Media Coordinator of the Jeay Sindh Muthida Mahaz (JSMM) was extrajudicial killed on 29 May 2014. He was travelling from his native town Warah, District Larkana, to Sann, District Dadu, Sindh province, with his wife and daughter. Their car was followed by a white-coloured car and after some distance they were stopped on the Indus Highway by the persons traveling in the vehicle. These persons were later identified as being from the intelligence agencies by the victim’s wife. All three were abducted in their own car and later, the wife and daughter were released at a nearby village. The car was abandoned in the Gidrchi Forest, Dadu district and within hours the bullet-riddled body of Munir Choliani was found near Boobak town, District Dadu. Mr. Choliani was completely defenseless as for many years he had been wheelchair-bound as he was paralysed from the waist down.
This was a senseless killing of a man who could offer no defense against his attackers. According to the police officials, Choliani was traveling towards Warah from Hyderabad in his private car when some unidentified people attacked him and killed him by discharging a heavy barrage of gun fire, near Sunn, Dadu district. The dead body of the nationalist leader was found from the Hotak area of Sehwan in the early morning at 6:00 am on May 30. Funeral prayers for Munir Choliani were offered at his native town Warah in Larkana district. A large number of the party workers and leaders and local people attended his funeral.
The word, ‘Pakistan’ was carved on his chest during torture
A young three wheeler driver, Mr. Amin Malano, was abducted by plain clothed persons and was taken in a gray coloured car which bore an official government number plate. He was blindfolded and taken to unknown place where he was kept for three days in illegal detention. After his ordeal he was dumped on the road side and related the details of his ordeal with media persons, please see the link of video.
In this video he narrates his story that he was taken into custody by unknown persons. He was certain, however, that they were from one of the intelligence agencies as they asking about the JSMM and about his affiliation with the organisation. He told his captors that he was not a regular member but a supporter. The captors tortured him by using cigarette butts on all parts of his body, particularly his right hand which bore ten cigarette burns in order to get confirmation that the JSMM obtains money from an enemy country.
On one occasion, as he was thirsty he asked for water and was given acid mixed with water. His tongue was severely injured and began to bleed. The abductors continuously cursed the Sindhi speaking people and said that they are enemies of Pakistan. One night the Punjabi speaking abductors engraved the word ‘Pakistan’ on his chest. They used an electric drill into which they had inserted a knife blade. They urinated on his head on several occasions. They threw him on the road side after deciding that they had no further use for him. A farmer took him to hospital on his motor bike.
Presently he cannot walk properly and his tongue remains swollen. He cannot eat because he was forced to drink the acid water.
A young teacher is missing since November 2013
A young school teacher, Mr Javed Memon (23), a human right activist and member of the JSMM, was abducted by unknown persons on 25 November, 2013 while he was traveling to Hyderabad, Sindh from his native town of Golarchi. He was traveling in a bus along with three friends, Asif Kumbhar, Sajjad Memom and Addal Ghuman, when the bus reached the Hosrhi police station near Zeal Pak, a number of people in police uniform boarded the vehicle near the Zeal Pak cement factory and forced him to accompany them to a waiting police van. They had also forced two other passengers to alight but let them go after identifying Mr. Memon. This is proof that they had come specifically for him. His whereabouts remain unknown.
In the year 2012, he was also kidnapped by the local police of Badin district from his house. He was beaten severely in full view of his family. After some days he was released and he found himself in an unknown place.
His mother and siblings are observing a daily token hunger strike before the press club of Golarchi for his life and safe recovery from the law enforcement agencies. The mother has also written applications to the Prime Minister, the chief minister of Sindh and Chief Justice of Pakistan but as yet has received no reply.
After Balochistan, the intelligence agencies have focused their activities of witch hunting against the Sindhi political and nationalist groups. Due to the establishment of many cantonment areas and the oil and gas resources in Sindh province, the security establishment needs to maintain control over the political power. The disappearances and extrajudicial killings have increased against the political and nationalist groups. In Karachi, the capital of the province, there is an operation under the Pakistan Rangers and the police in which more than 17,000 suspects were arrested. However, not more than 1100 persons were sent to prisons and the whereabouts of the remaining arrested persons are unknown.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
This case is not an isolated one regarding the ongoing extrajudicial executions in Pakistan. The Asian Human Rights Commission has documented a large number of cases on similar pattern of extrajudicial execution. For example, for further details, please see few of our recent documentations: AHRC-UAC-044-2014; AHRC-UAU-024-2013; AHRC-UAC-112-2013; AHRC-UAC-058-2013; AHRC-STM-264-212; and AHRC-FPR-023-2011.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the given authorities calling them to stop the state sponsored witch hunt of Sindhi political and human rights activists and their extrajudicial killings by the intelligence agencies. Please also urge them to initiate a high powered judicial inquiry to stop the security agencies from kidnapping and torturing innocent persons in custody and extrajudicially killing them.
The AHRC is writing separate letters to the UN Special Rapporteurs on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions and the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances calling for their intervention into this matter.