Pakistan: Extrajudicial killings of disappeared persons

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AHRC-STM-026-2011
February 8, 2011
A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission

Pakistan: Supreme Court should hear cases of extrajudicial killings of disappeared persons

The human rights movement of Pakistan is heartened by the directives of the five-member-bench of the Supreme Court to the Inspectors General of Police (IGPs) to furnish full details of the cases of missing persons registered in their respective provinces. The court also ordered the IGPs to lodge First Information Reports (FIRs) for those cases of missing persons in which evidence is available, failing which action would be initiated against them.

Disappearances in Pakistan have become a routine matter and it has been accepted by the authorities as a normal practice of the law enforcement agencies, including the army and its intelligence agencies. The major political parties, who are in sizeable numbers in the parliament, are also silent on the issue of enforced disappearances and torture in military detention cells. The distress caused by the disappearances is that, despite the departure of the government of President Musharraf, the menace continues under the present civilian government. On average, every month at least five or six persons are abducted and disappeared by plain clothed persons in Balochistan alone. This is frequently done in the presence of police officers who then refuse to lodge FIRs saying that the intelligence agencies are involved.

A new trend has been reported in forced disappearances and that is the extrajudicial killings of the victims. Through this method it is easy for the abductors to wash away all evidence of the disappearance--no question of FIRs, legal process or placing blame. During the period of former President Musharraf, the phenomenon of disappearances started through the state agents, though this process has continued in the civilian government at federal and provincial levels killings through extrajudicial methods is new phase in the disappearances particularly, in the province of Balochistan.

The Supreme Court should also examine this aspect of the extra judicial killings of the disappeared persons. There is sufficient evidence that the following persons were abducted by the plain clothed persons, sometimes in the presence of police officers but after some days their bullet riddled bodies were found on the roadside or in far flung areas in same fashion as those persons who are released from the military torture cells. It is hoped that the Supreme Court five-member-bench will take note of and examine the cases of those persons who were disappeared and who were later found, dead and mutilated on the roadside.

The following is a list received by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) of missing persons who were arrested and who may have been allegedly killed by state intelligence agencies in 2010 and 2011 as claimed by their family members.
1: Bahar khan Son of Baig Muhammad arrested on 30. 06.2010 by Secret Service from Ghai khan Chwok Quetta in premises of Frontier Corps (FC) check post. He was in the company of his father and brother. His father alleged FC and Agencies are involved in the incident. On Aug 6, 2010 his bullet riddled dead body was found from Sriab Road, Quetta

2: Irshad Nasir address, Mohallah Shahi Turbat Tehsil Distinct Kech. CNIC No. 52203-6911612-5 was arrested by secret agencies. Around two dozen men surrounded his residence while others and entered into the home; they took Nasir in the presence of his uncle and others. The abductors were known to be agency personnel.

3: Muhammad Farooq Mengal son of Ghulam Rasool was abducted on May 10, 2010, when he was going to Kalat with his relatives in a van, when the vehicle reached at toll plaza at Mastung road FC officials in a Vigo stopped the van and pulled Mengal out and started beating him following which they took the detainee with them to an unknown place. On July 26, 2010 his bullet riddled body was found suburb area of the metropolis.

4: Shams Uddin son of Muhammad Usman was arrested on July 1, 2010 from Quetta. He was arrested at an FC check post by Sobedar Momen Khan and his colleagues from an ambulance in front of his mother, Shams was bringing his mother for treatment from Khuzdar to Quetta. A First Information Report was filed in the concerned police station, Provincial Home Department and National Crisis Management Centre as well. A petition was also filed in the Balochistan High Court.

5: Sameer Rind son of Mr. Abdul Karim Rind was arrested on October 14, 2010. The raid was conducted by FC personnel wearing plain clothes. They entered the house and took him in the presence of the family members. His family members filed a First Information Report in Turbat police station, addressed press conferences at Turbat and Quetta Press Club, and made a hunger strike at Turbat. His CNIC was No. 52205-2128570-5.

6: Sameer son of Rasheed Mir Lal Baksh was arrested on October 13, 2010. He was picked up from Shankani dar palace some 15 km away from Gawader; he was along with his friend, Yasir Ali. His father stated that at 3pm they informed him that they wanted to change the tube of his bike in Shankani dar and would come back soon. However, they did not return. There was no response from his cell phone despite their several attempts. The family realised that they might have been picked up by secret agencies, Sameer had no affiliation with any political party; both were students in the Degree College Gawader. The case was reported in the levies Tana Pasni under section 365/34 PPC against unknown men.

7: Kamran son of Ghulam Sarwar, resident of Teen Town Kansi Road, Quetta. Kamran was arrested on November 4, 2010 from Quetta. According to his family Kamran was abducted by those who had already taken the other Baloch youth. Until now no information has been received about the detained person. The matter was reported in the concerned police station.

8: Waleed Afzal Baloch and Nabeel Baloch were arrested on October 15, 2010. They were abducted from Gawader when they were on their way to Turbat. Both remain missing to-date. The family members of detainees hold the secret agencies responsible for abducting their loved ones. A First Information Report was filed in the Gawader police station.

9: Nabeel Haji Sahib Khan Baloch and his cousin Waleed Baloch were arrested on October 15, 2010. Both are missing so far. The family members of the detainees claimed secret agencies have abducted their loved ones. A First Information Report was filed in the Gawader police station.

10: Abdul Rehman son of Ghulam Hussain CNIC No. 52101-5903149-5. He was abducted on September 3, 2010. Rehman was a teacher in Government school, and General Secretary of Baloch Republican party district Gawader. According to his uncle Allah Baksh who was present when the incident took place stated that about 8 to 10 persons wearing plain clothes took them while leaving a dental clinic from Rinchord Line and shifted them to an unknown place. The uncle was freed after three hours, while Abdul Rehman is still missing so far. The family members file a First Information Report at Karachi Police Station.

11: Abdul Qayyum son of Nazar Muhmmad resident of Nagori Ward Gawader. Qayyum was arrested on December 11, 2010 from his house by FC personnel from his house at 3:00 pm. His family members were present at the time. A First information report was registered in Gawader Police Station under section 365/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

12: Ahmad Dad son of Dad Mohammad first time he was arrested on August 2006. He is residence of Mohallah Habib Lashkari Ward Gawader. Second time he was arrested on 03.10.2010. He was going from Gawader to Karachi along with his wife and younger brother. The bus singled by the police at Uthal Zero point, after stop, they entered into the bus and picked up detainee in presence of other passengers, till now he is missing so far. His wife and others claimed that the vehicle in which the detainee was taken identified as using by the secret agencies. The detainee was Central committee Member of Baloch student organization Azad. His First information report was registered in Uthal police station against unknown persons.

13: Naseer Ahmad S/o Kamalan was arrested on 05. 11. 2010 from Makran Coastal Highway Nalaint Zero point by Frontier corps men wearing plain clothes having a vehicle. The other passengers have seen the detainee at the time of arrest and they identified abductors as Frontier corps personals. The complainant approached concerned Tesildar but the case was not registered.

14: Ramzan S/o Murad was arrested on July 24, 2010. He was picked up at 2:00 pm after meeting with his brother. He was taken by 10 to 12 armed man wearing plain clothes and travelling in a double door pick up vehicle. He has no affiliation with any political party. The case was registered in Uthal police station under section 365/34 Pakistan penal code against unknown persons.

15: Raees Jameel Ahmad was picked up by FC and agency personnel in the presence of his brother Hameed Yaqoob and others. The detainee was blindfolded after arrest. A First Information Report was filed in the concerned police station. A petition was filed by the family in Balochistan High Court September 10. 2010 and they addressed a press conference, staged and demonstrated at a rally.

16: Yousaf Nazar S/o Nazar Muhmmad on December 21, 2010. On the day the detainee was travelling along with his friend Siddique from Gawader to Pasni by van to appear in the court of Additional session Judge Gawader. On their return, at 2:00 some unknown armed men ordered them to stop the van, where after they arrest them and shifted them to an unknown location. The abductors were wearing uniforms of the FC. The incident was reported in Leveis Tana Pasni under section 365/34 Pakistan penal code against unknown persons.
The missing persons who were extra judicially killed after their disappearance during the last five months in 2010 and 2011.

ENDS

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