Lahore: Pakistani twitter users on Thursday participated in an online campaign through #FindRaza hashtag to demand immediate steps to recover missing peace activist Raza Khan. Referring to a pattern well established in the recent past, many activists expressed concerns that Raza Khan could have been forcibly disappeared. Internet rights activist Nighat Dad? tweeted, “Where is the due process of law? because the Constitution of Pakistan requires the state to produce before a magistrate every person who is arrested and detained in custody within a period of twenty-four hours of such arrest (article 10) #FindRaza”. Lawyer Asad Jamal? said, “We register our concern against the continuing trend in enforced disappearances of our fellow citizens working for a peaceful Pakistan. The latest example of such high handedness is the disappearance of our colleague and friend Raza Mehmood Khan. #FindRaza #ReleaseRaza” Academic and activist Sarah Suhail? said, “If we cannot raise our voices against the excesses of power and oppression as politically, socially and thinking people then how are we in a democracy #FindRaza” Another user Zeeba Hashmi? said, “#FindRaza he believes in the spirit of love and friendship among peoples in this region”. Jalila Haider? said, “Stand for Missing Persons Before you all be missing. First it was Balochistan, Sindh and KPK , now it is Punjab too. #FindRaza #ReleaseRaza” Journalist Sarah Eleazar said,? “This isn’t about one missing activist or even the seventh missing activist, this is about coercive attempts to silence those who work and toil for peace and love and bring a critical understanding to a lot that we see around us #FindRaza.” Academic Aimen Bucha? tweeted, “Is speaking about the contemporary political conditions a crime? Is providing space for such discussions a crime? #FindRaza”. Another user Safeer U Khan? said, “The act of enforced disappearance is a crime. To be treated in accordance with law is everyone’s inalienable fundamental right. Art. 4 of the Constitution of Pakistan #RecoverAllMissingPersons.
Published in Daily Times, December 8th 2017.
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