Govt & relevant authorities must take steps to resolve the burning issue of the Disappeared as a top priority now: DHR
ISLAMABAD, Dec 21, (SABAH): In spite of the grief and agony of the victim families of the disappeared, the new year always brings new hopes for the return of their loved ones. Human Rights defenders and families vowed to continue their struggle no matter what. As a goodwill gesture for the 2022 year’s end, Government and relevant authorities must take steps to resolve the burning issue of the Disappeared as a top priority now.
Defence of Human Rights Pakistan organized an annual press conference with the victim’s families, lawyers and human rights defenders. This year was more challenging than the previous ones, as the victim’s families took their struggles to different High Courts of Pakistan. The hopelessness derived from the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CoIoED) led the victim families, and human rights organizations to plead their cases in the Courts. DHR filed 17 cases of enforced disappearances in different High Courts in Pakistan over the period of 2022. Also, followed up with previously filled litigations.
A short summary of the year-end report was also shared, the report highlighted the new and old cases of Enforced Disappearances, case studies, and various activities done in throughout the year. 2022, in a nutshell, DHR provided relief to 10 flood victim families which were also a victim of enforced disappearances. DHR did 2 training sessions with the members & families of the victims for “Psychosocial accompaniment”. DHR provided livelihood seed money to 5 families of the disappeared. 100 family members of the disappeared were provided psychosocial support sessions in 5 different cities (Attock, Peshawar, Swat, Abbottabad, and Faisalabad).
Defence of Human Rights successfully campaigned throughout 2022, including commemorating “International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappeared” IDD, International Week of Enforced Disappeared” IWD, Women’s Rights Day, Torture Day, and Human Rights Day. The victim families conducted protests on many occasions, to mark the day and highlight the issue. Essay & art competition was also conducted to engage the youth & give a different approach to the agonies of the victim’s families. An art memorial was built to stamp the presence of the victim’s families on IDD.
Defence of Human Rights co-campaigned with Amnesty South Asia, in highlighting the case of Enforced Disappeared Sajid Mehmood. The Daughter of Sajid Mehmood wrote a diary called “Refusing to Disappear” which was launched & published in May. The diary included illustrations & story of how Aymun and her family firsthand witnessed the disappearance of her father. The diary was later on sent and shared among all power corridors.
Defence of Human Rights throughout 2022, lobbied with the Parliamentarians, Senators & MPA’s to pass the domestic law to criminalize Enforced Disappearances. DHR conducted a meeting with 5 Senators to brief them about the law drafted by our legal team. DHR also made a visit to the Provincial assembly of KPK and met with different MPA’s regarding the law. 20 victim families gave testimonies of their cases with the UN working group on Enforced Disappearances.
Chairperson DHR Amina Masood Janjua was invited to Geneva as a speaker in the 42nd pre-sessions of UPR from 27 Nov to 04 Dec 2022. She represented the Defence of Human Rights there and met with Missions of 24 different countries including the Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations and presented them with recommendations on the issue of Enforced Disappearances.
On 4th July 2022, Islamabad High Court summoned Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to appear before the court in the Enforced Disappeared cases, namely Muddasir Naru, Zahid Ameen, and Sadiq Ameen, etc. So, on the next hearing which was conducted on 9th September 2022 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appeared in the court and assured the court of reuniting missing persons with their families. The Chief Justice said that the government should resign if subordinate institutions are not under control and gave two months to settle this issue. Two months have passed and victims’ families still wait for justice. Because of the pressure of the IHC the Government constituted a committee to resolve the issue. The committee was headed by the Law Minister Senator Chaudhry Azam Nazeer Tarar and had the mandate to find a solution. The committee met with most of the victims, HRD’s and relevant stakeholders but nothing concrete was established to date.
On 21st Oct 2022, a bill to criminalize Enforced Disappearances was passed by the National Assembly. Members of the National Assembly requested the Parliament to remove the 514 repressive clauses from the bill and pass it without these. Previously, in the last government when the bill was presented in the Senate, the standing committee of the Senate added two repressive clauses to it. This bill was initially presented by Dr. Shireen M. Mazari in June 2021. The bill is yet to be made public and passed/ discussed by the upper house Senate.
Total cases registered by DHR: 3036, Out of which Release: 540, Dead: 81, Traced: 224, Still Enforced Disappeared: 1408
AJ&K: 37, ICT: 89, Balochistan: 79, KPK: 1081, Punjab: 775, Sindh:190
Stats for 2022:
● Registered cases of Enforced Disappeared in 2022 by DHR: 71
● Released cases in 2022: 8
● Traced: 2
● Extra judicially killed: 2
DHR urges the relevant authorities, Government, Army and Agencies, and all the political and social parties to play their role to end enforced disappearance. We demand the release of all detained and imprisoned citizens suffering beyond the protection of all laws in Pakistan. DHR vows to continue its struggle come what may. We will not hesitate a single second in the interest of Justice & Truth for the Enforced Disappeared.
Goals for the next 3 years
● Networking with organizations working in different parts of the country on the issue of enforced disappearances.
● Strong campaign for justice for the ongoing cases in High Courts in different parts of the country.
● Request for help for the rehabilitation of the victim’s families, financial, education, health, legal, and psychosocial support.
● Campaign for the passage of the law that criminalizes enforced disappearance on an urgent basis.
● Campaign to ratify & sign the “International Convention on Protection of All Persons Against Involuntary & Enforced Disappearances” (ICPPED). It is a complete answer to the issue of enforced disappearances.
● Lobby with the Chief of Army Staff and Prime Minister of the State to abolish the practice of enforced disappearance & release/trace all. By taking the example of the countries who have ratified the convention, rehabilitated, and compensated the victims.
● Campaign to follow up on the promises made by Pakistan in the upcoming UPR. Pakistan will undergo UPR in January 2023, it will be criticized by 194 countries.
● Campaign for the possibility of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to provide closure and compensation to victims awaiting justice for years.
● Research & documentation on the new and old cases of Enforced Disappearance
Our aim for the coming years is the same to strengthen rule of law and promote justice at all costs, that is why we strongly and vehemently condemn Enforced Disappearance. This issue has been ignored for the last 21 years and has become the most chronic issue in the country reflecting a most haunting and cruelest violation of Human Rights. The cries of the victims from all five provinces of the country can be heard loud and clear, which are shouting to get their loved ones traced and bring them peace, truth, and justice at any cost.