HYDERABAD: Speakers at a multiparty conference (MPC) convened by the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz-Arisar (JSQM-A) at the local press club expressed the concerted view that ‘enforced disappearance’ of political/nationalist activists in the country was a flagrant violation of constitutional and legal rights of citizens.

According to most speakers, it is a fundamental human and political right of every individual to subscribe to any ideology and become a member of an organisation to pursue a peaceful struggle. Enforced disappearances may lead to violence and anarchy in the country.

They stressed that Pakistan should sign and ratify the international treaty on missing persons and ensure recovery of all victims of enforced disappearance forthwith and their production in courts of law.

They urged the judiciary to take suo motu notice of all cases of enforced disappearance in order to ensure their safe recovery.

The speakers urged the Sindh Assembly and the provincial government to discharge their political, constitutional and moral responsibility of taking up the issue at the federal level and taking a strong position on it.

They also appealed to the United Nations, foreign diplomats and political forces and rights bodies to take cognizance of such cases and exert pressure on the state to refrain from pushing itself into violence and a state of anarchy.

JSQM-A chairman Dr Mir Alam Marri told the conference that a struggle for social, political and human rights was not a crime under any law of the world. He observed that in Pakistan, such a struggle and freedom of expression were prohibited.

“The people who believe in peaceful political struggle for their motherland — Sindh and Balochistan — are facing enforced disappearance,” he said, adding that his party was pursuing the path of a non-violent struggle in line with G.M. Syed’s philosophy. Yet, he claimed, his party’s workers were being picked up.

He also claimed that as many as 30 activists [of different political/nationalist parties] had gone missing within a short span of time which was a matter of great concern.

He said JSQM-A called for safe recovery of all these activists.

JSQM-Bashir senior vice chairman Dr Niaz Kalani told the audience that no one had the right to forcibly take away an activist and then throw his mutilated body on the road.

He proposed setting up of an action committee which should organise a peaceful struggle for safe recovery of all victims of enforced disappearance.

He urged the youth to practically work for Sindh’s issues instead of using social media alone for the purpose.

Awami Jamhoori Party president Amanullah Shaikh observed that nationalist movement in Sindh had strong influence of personality cult and lacked ideology. He called for raising the issue jointly through a forum.

He said the movement was faced with a crisis of education and ideology.

Sindh United Party (SUP) leader Dr Dodo Mehri said that the issue of ‘missing persons’ had become a serious problem of the entire region. He said nationalist workers should work to restore people’s confidence in their movement through improved mass-contact activity.

Jami Chandio observed that democracy and rule of law in Pakistan existed only in name as practically conditions in the country at present were worse than what happened during martial law.

Apart from Sindh, incidents of enforced disappearance were reported from other parts of the country too, he said. “The trend is on the rise,” he added.

Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Khaliq (JSM-K) leader Hashim Khoso, Awami Workers Party (AWP) leader Dr Bakhshal Thalho, Dr Ashoth­ama of the Human Rights Comm­ission of Pakistan (HRCP), Nawaz Shah Badahi of the JSM-Riaz, Abdul Fatah Channa of the Jeay Sindh Tehreek (JST), Aslam Shah of the Pakistan Peoples Party-Shaheed Bhutto (PPP-SB), Punhal Sario and Mashkoor Phalkari were among the others who gave their input on the issue.

Close relatives of some of the alleged victims of enforced disappearance including Sorath Lohar, Neelam Arijo, Ghulam Sughra and Asif Junejo also spoke at the conference.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2017