In a distressing incident, a Hindu woman was abducted two months ago by a radical Islamist in Pakistan. The victim, Reeta Meghwar was abducted by Ashiq Ahmadani from Badin in Sindh. Her whereabouts remained unknown until she managed to escape the captivity of her abductor a day ago.

She told her horrific story that is the harsh reality of Hindu women who are targeted on the basis of religion in Pakistan. After she was abducted, she was forced to give up on her religion and convert to Islam. Reeta was also coerced to marry a Muslim man. The fanatic Islamists threatened her that if she doesn’t accept their dictates, her parents would be killed.

This is the sorry state of Hindus and especially women who suffer at the hands of radical Islamist in Pakistan. A country that has devastated the life of religious minorities and only persecuted them stands shamelessly on the global platforms talking about minority rights in other countries.

The incident underscores the reason for the dramatic fall in the Hindu minority population in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan since its formation. Hindus are not safe under the administration of this terror regime. It must be noted that Hindus don’t even have a safe refuge in Pakistan while dealing with such cases. The bigoted Islamic clerics, judiciary, law enforcement institutions and Pakistan Army, each and every part of this syndicate is involved in this persecution with a sole motive of converting every single minority to Islam.  

Shias in Pakistan are agonized over the insult of their pious religious figures and are filing blasphemy cases. At the front of this malicious propaganda against Shias is the banned terrorist organization Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan.

In a latest development, a blasphemy FIR has been filed by Shias in Khanpur, district Haripur, Khyber Paktunkhwa. The FIR has been registered against a Sunni Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan cleric Abdul Matin Hazarvi under Section 295A, 298 and 153A for insulting Shia practices on Facebook.

Another blasphemy case

Similarly, Shias in Islamabad also reached the police station in Islamabad against another Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan cleric Aurangzeb Farooqi for insulting Ahl-e-Bayt. As per the Shia community, a complaint was registered against the cleric on Friday for insulting hidden Imam but still has not been entertained by the local Police. Consequently, the group of people who reached the police station warned that if the proceedings are not taken forward, they would sit in front of police station in protest.

It is worth mentioning that Shias are under the target of radicalized Sunni regime of Pakistan. A couple of months ago Pakistan has passed a “Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023” according to which any criticism of Yazid, Aby Sufiyan and Mu’awiya is considered as a criminal offence. This stirred controversy, as the very foundation of Shi’ite community and its basic difference from Sunnis lies on the same premises. Pakistan did it to widen the gap between Shia and Sunnis and hence degrade the former into an inferior community. The Sunni clerics who are hand in gloves with Paki establishment picked their patron’s agenda and started giving blasphemous statement against Shias and their religiously significant figures. Unfortunately, this trend is continuing and Shias are facing the wrath of the radicalized Sunni Paki establishment.

The Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM) Central Chairman Sohail Abro, Vice Chairman Zubair Sindhi, and other prominent members have issued a joint statement expressing deep concern over the relentless targeting of innocent nationalist activists in the Sindh region, the latest being Irfan Zahrani, by what they describe as a “Punjabi fascist state.” The statement highlights the urgent need for a strong response to protect the rights and safety of the people in the region.

The press release shed light on the recent disappearance of Irfan Zahrani, a national activist, who had been previously released after enduring six months of torture and four months of forced imprisonment in a Punjab prison. Zahrani’s re-kidnapping has been attributed to Pakistani intelligence agencies in the Rahim Yar Khan area of Punjab. Additionally, Advocate Mohib Azad, the lawyer who courageously fought Zahrani’s case, has also been forcibly disappeared. JSFM leaders strongly condemned these actions as acts of terrorism.

Concern over the arrest of advocates

In their press release, JSFM leaders decried the alarming situation, asserting that even lawyers advocating for the rights of the oppressed are not safe from harm. Furthermore, they argue that this lawlessness, extending to Sindhi, Baloch, and Pashtun communities, demands a revolutionary response to counter the oppressive tactics of this ‘Punjabi fascist state.’ The leaders called for an intensification of their struggle and urged supporters to take to the streets and block national highways linking Sindh to Punjab.

The statement issued by JSFM leaders further condemns what they describe as the Punjabi Pakistan Army’s brutal actions and the ongoing genocide of the Sindhi people. The situation in Sindh is dire, and JSFM leaders are calling on the international community to take notice and address the human rights violations being committed.

Appeal to International organisation

JSFM has made a direct appeal to Human Rights Watch, urging them to scrutinize the actions of the Pakistani government, which they characterize as “fascist.” They emphasize that these actions constitute a violation of international law and human rights principles, and those responsible must be held accountable for their actions.

The situation in Sindh, as outlined in the press release, highlights the need for greater international attention and efforts to address the ongoing human rights violations in the region. Accordingly, JSFM’s call for action and support underscores the urgency of the situation and the need to protect the rights and lives of those affected by these troubling events.

Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) held protest demanding the release of its activists and workers, illegally abducted and detained by Paki establishment, in Miran Shah, North Waziristan.

On October 12, PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen announced a protest demonstration in front of Press Club in Miran Shah, North Waziristan against the Pakistani establishment’s impunity and extrajudicial detainment policy and the subsequent detention of the PTM activists. Since past few months, Pakistan Army has launched a crackdown on PTM, because of which, various activists including Eid-ur-Rehman Wazir, Zakim Wazir, Gilaman Wazir and Noorullah Tareen have been detained by Pakistan and are still not presented in front of court.

With an announcement of protest, nervous Pakistan took extrajudicial measures to thwart the organisation of protest. The local police raided the house of PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen on the eve of protest. Paki establishment also imposed Section 144 in the area.

Additionally, to make the protest worthless, Paki establishment blocked the ways to North Waziristan’s Miran Shah and deployed heavy forces across the region. However, defying the dictator establishments order, thousands of Pashtuns accumulated in front of the press club and voiced for the release of their fellow civilians. PTM’s protest turned out to be highly successful which saw participants from all the regions. On the other hand, Pakistan has yet again failed to thwart the protest of Pashtuns like they failed during PTM Islamabad jalsa. This shows that the concerns of Pashtuns in the region are driving them to be more ferocious in their demand, while Pakistani establishment is only trying to curb these demands and suppress the voice of peaceful Pashtuns

In a deeply troubling and recurring pattern, Irfan Zahrani, a prominent Sindhi nationalist youth, has been forcibly disappeared once again, this time alongside his lawyer, Advocate Mohib Azad Leghari. The Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh (VMP-Sindh) has raised their voices in protest against these disturbing actions, which have raised serious concerns about human rights violations in the region.

Irfan Zahrani had previously endured months of enforced disappearance at the hands of Pakistani agencies, followed by imprisonment in a Punjab jail. His release from Sadiqabad jail on October 13 was met with a renewed sense of hope for his family and supporters. However, their relief was short-lived as he and his lawyer, Advocate Mohib Azad Leghari, were once again taken into custody by Pakistani forces.

Surath Lohar, the head of VMP-Sindh, expressed outrage at these repeated abductions, deeming them as a blatant violation of human rights within Sindh. Accordingly, the organization has now called upon a range of international bodies, including the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Amnesty International, and the United Nations, to take immediate notice of these actions and address the situation.

Horrific cases of enforced disappearances of Sindhi nationalist

Notably, VMP-Sindh has been at the forefront of advocating for those who have fallen victim to enforced disappearances. According to Surath Lohar, the past eight months have seen over 40 Sindhi nationalist activists subjected to similar disappearances, painting a grim picture of the situation.

These persistent incidents of enforced disappearances have raised alarms among human rights defenders and organizations worldwide, who continue to call for an end to such practices and demand the safe return of Irfan Zahrani, Advocate Mohib Azad Leghari, and all others who have been forcibly disappeared in Sindh.