Daily Times

KARACHI: A hunger strike camp went underway in front of the Karachi Press Club against increasing cases of what the protesters maintained were enforced disappearances in the province.

Many relatives, including women and children, of those who had been taken away from their homes by plainclothed men allegedly belonging to security agencies were also present on the occasion.

The camp was set up on the call of Voice of Missing Persons of Sindh (VMP-Sindh), an informal group of civil society and political activists struggling for the release of missing persons of Sindh.

Speaking on the occasion, the protesters said that they would not celebrate Eidul Azha in protest against the abductions of their relatives. VMP-Sindh activists Sorath Lohar and Taj Joyo announced that a nation-wide campaign would be started after the Eidul Azha if Imran Khan led government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) failed to ensure the safe return of all missing persons of Sindh by the end of the Eid break. They said camps would be set up in front of the National and all provincial assemblies.

Talking to Daily Times, VMP-Sindh convener Sorath Lohar said that the group was struggling for the release of missing persons and those who talked about change and democracy must take notice of this gross violation of human rights in the country.

“There are already several missing persons and instead of releasing them, more nationalist leaders and activists are being abducted by law enforcement agencies,” she said, adding that only a day ago, security personnel abducted renowned social and literary figure, Amanullah Chandio, his 17-year-old son Saifullah Chandio, and 20-year-old nephew Gulshan from Jamshoro city. She said that Amanullah Chandio was the father of Sindhu Amaan Chandio, the deputy convener for VMP-Sindh, and Sanaullah Chanio, the leader of Mehran Students Council.

“There are several Sindhi nationalists missing for the past many months and more people are going missing despite protests by their families.” According to Lohar, around 160 persons from Sindh including 60 political workers and Sindhi nationalists were reported missing.

Those who have forcibly been taken away from their homes in the past year include journalist Inam Abbasi, Khadim Hussain Arejo, Ustad Hidayat Lohar, Sohail Bhatti, Raza Jarwar, Nangar Channa, Mukhtiar Almani, Shadi Khan Soomro, Ahmed Ali Bughio, Munsoor Gurgez, Mohan Menghwar, Jamil alias Gauri Shoro, Waqar Channa, Nadeem Siyal, women Fazila Sarki, Darya Khan Dakan, Mujeeb Choliyani, Gulsher Tigar, and Naseer Abro.

Renowned Sindhi writer and leader of Sindhi Adabi Sangat, Taj Joyo, while sitting on the protest camp, told Daily Times that if the federal government would not ensure release of all Sindhi missing persons, the VMP-Sindh would hold a march to Islamabd and stage a protest in front of the National Assembly of Pakistan.

“If someone did something wrong, they must be produced before the courts. Forcible abductions cannot be tolerated,” said Joyo.

A large number Sindhi nationalists leaders of different parties including Sarmad Jamal and Haroon Jamali of Jeay Sindh Tahreek (Karnani group), Kamran Mari Santosh Kumar, Rasheed Khoso, Ahsan Khoso of Jeay Sindh Quami Mahaz (Arisar Group), Zahid Ali Bugti, Abubakkar Yousafzai, Muhammad Imran of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Sarang Sindhi, Nawaz Chandio and women activists and family members of missing persons were present at the protest camp.

Published in Daily Times, August 22^nd 2018.