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.