I have received a kind of activity report or you may call it a diary of the wife of Masood Ahmed Janjua who was abducted in July 2005 by Pakistani agencies and been missing for seventeen long months.
Mrs. Amina Janjua got together with three other families and started a campaign for the release of her husband and other people like him. She tells the story of the hardships and abstacles she, her family and other families have to meet and overcome.
She has been appointed the in charge of the women's wing of Defense of Human Rights, Islamabad.
I am reproducing this activity report to draw attention to human rights violations in Pakistan.
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Defence of Human Rights
Enforced Disappearances in Pakistan
Thousands of cases of mysterious missing and abduction in Pakistan have become a point of international concern and it is a clear violation of basic human rights.
Thus from the beginning of September 06 three victim families of missing persons joined hands to launch a massive campaign of protests in order to surface their dear ones. Defence of Human Rights appointed Mrs.Masood Janjua, one of the vicims, incharge of this campaign. Prior to this these unfortunate families registered FIRs and knocked at every door but no action was taken by the Government and Judicial levels although it is the responsibility of the government to find them, make efforts to release them and send them blissfully to their homes.
In this presentation we will be discussing the following points.
• Details of missing persons.
• Efforts, Rallies, Walks and Sit-downs etc. made for recovery of our missing persons.
• Details of the meetings with the Important Government and Military Officials.
• Plight of the families and their demand.
Efforts, Rallies, Walks and Sit-ins etc. made for recovery of our missing persons
Defence of Human Rights coordinated with the missing person’s families, who were denied of Justice and invited them to Islamabad for a series of protests. First demo was staged on the 4th of September 06 in which five families participated:
1. Family of Masood Ahmed Janjua form Rawalpindi.
2. Family of Fasial Faraz from Lahore.
3. Family of Atiq-ur-Rehman from Abbotabad.
4. Family of Majid Khan from Hyderabad.
5. Family of Muhammad Mansoor from Karachi.
The families started from the Parliament Lodges at 04:00 pm marching towards the Parliament House. The protesters were holding placards and banners and were also chanting slogans for the release of their dear ones. Both electronic and print media were invited to witness the grand protest. The procession, after reaching the Parliament House, organized its camp there and appeared for photo session and press briefing.
Activities in the Camp:
Members of these families remained busy giving interviews to the press and channels. A few members, with the help of MNAs , were able to go inside the National Assembly. In every session the issue of the missing persons were forcefully raised and projected. On the occasion the interior Minister Zaffar Warraich asked for 3 days to trace the missing persons. But after 6 days he only said that the persons were not found with the Government. The struggle however continued on the part of families who were very much determined to pressurize release of their dear ones.
10th Sep 2006:
The families held a press conference in the Islamabad Press Club. Latest information and details of the issue were given to the press. Many members of the National Assembly supported this issue aloud.
11th Sep 2006:
It was the great support and participation by MNAs, colleges, youth organizations like Muslim League Youth Wing, Shbab-e-Milli, friends and public which made the grand protest of 11th Sep a success. The issue was strongly projected in both local and foreign media.
Parliament Closes Doors for the Protesting Families:
On the eve of 14th Sep a group of 16 MNAs visited the camp. It was headed by Zamurrad Khan. These MNAs asked the families to come along with them in the National Assembly where they would raise their voice in the Assembly cafeteria. As the procession reached the main gates, they were immediately closed for them. Members of the families and 16 MNAs tried their level best but they were not allowed to enter. For the first time in the history of Pakistan the gates of the National Assembly were closed for their own members for 45 minutes. Traffic jammed on both sides and the tussle with the security staff continued. All the while media was fully active, captured and projected the event very effectively in the news papers.
Barefooted Walk and Sit-ins of Protesting Families:
This barefooted walk started in front of the Parliament House, the participants marched towards the President House. Women including children marched on the roads. On the way they chanted slogans like RETURN DEAR ONES and WE WANT OUR DEAR ONES BACK etc. The participants made enthusiastic speeches against the government to be against its own people. The speakers stressed that our leaders sleep comfortably in there luxurious palaces but the innocent people, they are ruling on, stay awake day & night, mourning their missing dear ones. Agony, despair and depression is their fate, gifted by the Government and Agencies of Pakistan. The barefooted walk continued towards the gates of Parliament house, where the protesters sit down for a dharna. Slogans demanding immediate release of dear ones were chanted. There is no end to the sufferings of the missing persons’ families, just to record their grievances and put forward their demand and handover a signed declaration to the government representative, they had to wait anxiously for 2& a half hours on the road. At last Minister of State for Information Mr. Tariq Azeem came. He heard their demands and promised to surface their dear ones within a week, a promised which was never fulfilled.
Walk from Murrir Chok to the R.Pindi Press Club and a Press Conference:
Affected families started the procession from Murrir Chok marching on the Murree Road reached The Daily Jang building. While recorded their complain and chanting slogans, they reached Pindi Press Club. Press Briefing was given to the Press by the members of 12 families.
The natural environment of the camp.
Grand Protest of 22nd Sep (Aapara Chok):
Families of the missing persons gathered at Lal Masjid Islamabad. They started their protest opposite the mosque. There, they had speeches then the protest was rallied towards Aapara chok. The families expressed their emotions over there and addressed to the grand gathering of about 2 thousand people. M.M.A. leaders also showed solidarity with the issue and the victim families.
Visit to the Supreme Court:
The families gathered at their camp opposite Parliament House. Interviews were given to the Amnesty International. Mrs. Masood Janjua went to the Supreme Court to attend the hearing of Saifullah Paracha in the court No.1. By the time other families along with Khalid Khawaja came to the Supreme Court. But the gates of the Supreme Court were closed for them but with a great pulling and snatching they were allowed to meet the Registrar. The Registrar of the Supreme Court reassured the families to help and forward the application to Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Families Participated in the AI Conference:
Amnesty Internationl, in close collaboration of Defence of Human Rights and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan held a seminar on the issue of the enforced disappearances. The seminar was projected in media up to the maximum level i.e 29, 30 of sep06and1st October 06.
Details of the meetings with the Important Government and Military Officials
During the campaign families met a large number of Government officials. All of whom promised to help but their promises never came true. The families met Zummrud Khan, Main M. Aslam, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Nilofer Bakhtiar and Zafar Warraich. All the MNAs pledged support in every respect. The families also met Brig. Cheema of Crisis Management Cell, Mr. Tariq Azeem Minister of State for Information and Syed Kamal Shah Secretary Interior.
Plight of the Families and their Demand
The families are now in extremely desperate condition and they demand immediate release of their dear ones. Their request is that the Government and Judiciary should take up this matter and solve it on priority bases. We request the media to continue to give coverage to the issue in both print and electronic media. We appeal directly to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to call on the heads of ISI and MI to appear in court and account for the case of enforced disappearances. They all hope and pray that justice would be done. They are determined never to give up till they achieve they get their dear ones.
Activities of Defence of Human Rights in October 2006:
Families of missing persons join hands to march towards Supreme Court. Many other N.G.O s were also present on the occasion. On 2nd Oct 06,for example Cage Prisoners Reprieve .BOS, SNC and HRCP were with the familis. The procession launched a protest in front of Supreme Court and met the Registrar and president Ver Associate Mr. Abdul Qauym to use their influence for the recover of the missing deer ones.
Activities of 7th October 2006:
Chief coordinator of Defense of human Rights, Mr. Khalid Khawaja told that he is in process of negotiations with Dr. Farooq Sattar MNA over the joint issue of Enforced Disappearances in Pakistan. Soon they are going to launch a joint campaign for their missing dear ones.
Members of National Assembly Mr. Zamarud khan too, while talking to Mrs. Masood Janjua, conveyed Mohtarma Benazir’s concern over this issue of Enforced Disappearances and grave violations of human rights in Pakistan.
Members of the victim families expressed their shock and grief over the attitude of the responsible government officials, Mr. Tariq Azeem, Mr. Zaffar Warraich and Mr. M.A Durrani who promised to surface the dear ones many times but practically did nothing to solve their problem.
This fact is even more astonishing that in spite of the tireless protests of the victim families, no action was taken by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Furthermore the pending cases were not given a date of hearing.
Under these gloomy circumstances the unfortunate families now 25 in number from all over Pakistan, decided to continue their struggle.
They gave a call for a huge demonstration protest on Sunday 8th October 2006 at 3:00 pm. at Aabpara Chok Islamabad. All sympathizers, human rights activists, media and press were invited to make it a success.
Protest of Aabpara and Walk till ISI Office:
The Defence of Human Rights, our organization working on the issue of Enforced Disappearances in Pakistan, invited on the 8th October 2006, families of missing persons and gathered at Aabpara chock at 3 p.m. and established their Camp there. The families gave interviews to media and press. They started their march towards the ISI office near zero point. The families were holding placards and photos of their dear-ones, chanting slogans for the release of their dear-ones from the custody of Army intelligence agencies. The women and children chained themselves saying, “If you chain our dear ones, you chain us too. “The placards were also saying ,”Fear Allah ! Release your own brothers in Ramzan.” “Give us the most Valuable Eid Gift: OUR DEAR-ONES”.
Emotional scenes were seen when the procession reached at the ISI office. The families were badly hurt because their dear ones were targeted by its own Army. But ISI were not ready to listen from their families. Not a word was ever conveyed to families. The desperate wives, daughters and mothers sat down in front of the office gates shouting sologans and insisting, You have our dear ones, come out and answer what have they done! The only crime we know is that they were all religious and keeping beards ! Come and Arrest us too ! Kill us ! We don’t want to Live Anymore! If such is the law and order situation in our country we prefer to be in torture cells along with our loved ones ! Police in huge numbers gathered all around and threatening to pick all families, pressurized the protestors to disperse from that highly sensitive area. The procession marched back to Aabpara chok and the devastated families opened their fast on the road side. This was a historic event as never in the history of Pakistan, a protest was made in front of ISI.
Activity of 16th of October 06:
On an Iftar Dinner on Monday16th October 2006 at Jamia Hafsa G-6, Islamabad, all media, press and wellwishers were invited by the families of the Missing Persons. It was to express gratitude for all their supporters.
The programe started with Tilawat and welcome address by Allama Abdul Rashid Ghazi and introductory speech was given by Mr.Khalid Khawaja Chief coordinator DHR , then a speech by Mrs.Masood Janjua, Incharge Woman Wing of DHR to throw light on the movement of Enforced Disappearances in Pakistan . Speech by Mr.Hasmat Ali Habib, Advocate of Supreme Court/Legal Adviser DHR. Member National Assembly Mr.Zamurrad Khan expressed solidarity with this great human rights cause in his speech. Some families also conveyed their feelings and expressed thanks for the brave stance and extraordinary support shown by the media and press . A touchy Duaa by Maulana Muahmmad Abdul Aziz , Khateeb Markazi Jamia Masjid ended up the ceremony with a tearful note.
Defence of Human Rights Update:
The Defense of Human Rights demanded of the government to make all necessary efforts to bring back a Pakistani businessman and philanthropist Mr.Saifullah Paracha and a computer engineer Majid Khan who were picked up from Karachi and were handed over to the US from where they were sent to Guantanamo Camp. A meeting of the Executive Committee of DHR that was held with its Chief Co-coordinator Wing Commander (Retd) Khalid Khawaja in the chair on Tuesday expressed deep concern the way Pakistani nationals are picked up illegally and handed over to the US for no crime on their part and without due legal proceedings.
The meeting termed the phenomenon as the blatant violation of the basic human rights enunciated under the constitution and all international and UN conventions on human rights as every individual is to be taken as innocent unless proved guilty by some competent court of law. The meeting lamented the apathy of the government on the agony and plight of the families of these people who are running from pillar to the post in the pursuit of justice but the government turned a deaf ear to this sorry state of the affairs. Mr.Saif Ullah Paracha a sixty years old ailing businessman of Karachi was handed over to the US authorities in July 2003. Kept in Bagram for 18 months and then shifted to Camp Delta 5 of US military prison of Guantanamo Bay where he suffered two heart attacks. He is a diabetic and a patient of blood pressure as well. It is now the responsibility of the government to bring him back the meeting noted and regretted that medical treatment given to Saifullah is not satisfactory at all.
Majid Khan, a Computer engineer was picked up from Karachi and his brother, sister in law and an infant were also picked along with him in the year 2003 by law enforcement agencies and the personnel of US intelligence agency of FBI. Majid was handed over the US. In the recent past, some time in September 2006, he was moved to notorious US military prison of Gautanamo Bay from a secret CIA detention center. The government must bring back Majid Khan along with other Pakistani detainees, the meeting demanded.
Missing persons movement gains momentum:
Defence of Human Rights, an N.G.O. campaigning the release for Enforced Disappeared Persons of Pakistani announces that today their list registered 115th case. They refused to celebrate EID and rather launched a series of vigorous peaceful protests and negotiations. This issue has been one of the most important, being highlighted by both electronic and print media, nationally and internationally.
• The Defence of Human Rights office bearers greatly stress and demand immediate release of enforce disappeared persons. There are no charges established on these persons yet they are kept in secret detention centers. The families are completely ignorant of their whereabouts and are in a state of acute mental torture. Even more torturing is the fact that these prisons are run by our own Army.
• The Defence of Human Rights is in contact with the recently released persons and preparing the fact-finding reports to submit in the Supreme Court. Some more names of the recently released persons are:
1. Saif Ullah Nasir of Karachi released on Dec 2006
2. Uffan Laghari of Karachi released on 25th Dec 2006
3. Hassan of Lahore released on 20th Dec 2006
4. Abdul Haleem of Sadiqabad released on 31st Dec 2006
5. Omer Razzaq of Islamabad released on 31st Dec 2006
6. Abid Raza of Gujrat release on 3rd Jan 2007
Besides that cases of Omer Rehman and M. Ramzan have been opened in Lahore and Quetta respectively. Some of the detainees who have recently been released, after the movement by DHR, have mentioned again that while in custody they were in custody they saw: Masood Ahmed Janjua, Muhammad Mansoor, Saud Memon, Ali Hassan (Abdul Qadir), Aslam Zahid, Shokat Hayat, Osama Nazir, Ansar, Abdul Basit, Habeeb, Adeel, Siddque Akhter, Mufti Muneer, Saifullah Akhter, Mehboob Ilahi etc. Moreover they confirmed that they remained in the custody of the security agencies.
• The information given by them is that Saud Memon, Muhammad Mansoor, Ali Hassan Rana, were seen in ISI custody in Lahore. Whereas Abdul Basit, Osama Nazir of Faisalabad and Hafiz Tahir of D I K are with M I in Rawalpindi. A 10-year-old Abdullah reports seeing Aslam Zahid of Qasur in Army custody when he was abducted by agencies along with his father Mufti Muneer Shakir.
• The released persons plead to eliminate schedule 4, which is like a bigger prison and a lot of botheration for them.
• The Defence of Human Rights regrets the fact that on 28th Dec 06, 110 families of missing persons were subjected to worst kind of torture and harassment as they were protesting for their dear and nears ones. Even a young boy Muhammad Bin Masood of 16 son of Masood Ahmed Janjua was beaten, stripped and arrested. Police was showing exemplary brutality obviously upon higher-level orders. They wanted to teach the protestor a bitter lesson once and for all. Some 20 women were batten charged dragged and pushed by force into police mobile vans for arrests .An old man Abdul Ghaffar Parvana whose son is missing for the last six years and he is constantly on the roads protesting throughout the country, was also arrested. His cycle and portrait of his son was taken away and these thins were broken into pieces. He was released but this old man was taken away by agencies for one week that 28th Dec to 6th Jan, he was beaten badly, his cycle and portrait of his missing son was broken down. He was also ordered not to protest any more but he said as long as I am alive I will keep shouting for my son Abdul Sattar missing since 2001.
• A recently released person requesting an anonymity while telling about Masood A Janjua that he met him several times in MI detention in Rawalpindi.
• A series of protests are building up pressure on the government for example after 28th Dec 29th a big procession express solidarity with the missing persons families in Islamabad. On EID day protest demonstration was held in Faisal Masjid. The same day unsuccessful visits paid to Prime Minister House and Present House. Although the protocol officer conformed the meeting time with Mrs. Amina Masood.
• On 4th Jan missing persons staged another demo in front of the UNO office in Saudi Pak Towers and handed over a three-paged memorandum to Mr. Vandemoortele of UNO regarding the human rights violations committed by Army agencies.
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