Sindh rights group condemns abduction, torture of activists by Pakistani state agencies
Aug 19, 2024
Hyderabad [Pakistan], August 19 : The Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM) has condemned the alleged abduction, torture, and shooting of its national activists by Pakistani state agencies, particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The incident reportedly took place in Kotri, Sindh on August 14, 2024.
According to the statement from JSFM Chairman Sohail Abro and other officials, three nephews of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) Central Cultural Secretary Abdul Fattah Channa--Zahid Channa, Ghulam Muhammad Channa, and Sajjad Channa--were abducted by the ISI from their homes.
Following the abduction, protests were organised by JSQM, Sindh Sabha, and Sindh Sujagi Forum, demanding the release of the missing individuals. However, when the relatives attempted to file a complaint with the local police, their efforts were reportedly dismissed.
The situation escalated when, after several days, four of the abducted individuals were allegedly shot by police and state agencies and admitted to Civil Hospital Hyderabad, with two still missing.
These activists later released a video statement asserting that they had been tortured by ISI officers and falsely accused of being foreign agents involved in sabotage on August 14.
After failing to find evidence, the activists claim they were handed over to the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Police in Hyderabad, who then shot them and lodged a false FIR against them, the JSFM press statement read.
The JSFM has strongly condemned these actions, calling them a brutal violation of human rights by the Pakistani state.
The press release emphasises that Sindhi people observe August 14 as a day of protest, marking what they consider the forcible merger of Sindh into Pakistan in 1947. This year's protests involved hoisting black flags and wearing black armbands to express their rejection of Pakistan.
Sohail Abro has called on international human rights organisations, including the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, to take immediate notice of these alleged human rights violations and to conduct an investigation.
The JSFM urges the international community to bring these incidents to light and hold the Pakistani state accountable for its actions.
