Plight of Sindhi Missing Persons
TBP Editorial
Last week, two more Sindhi political activists were abducted. Sattar Hakdo was picked up from Karachi and Javed KhasKhaili from Nawab Shah. According to the family members, Sattar Hakdo had gone missing in past as well, however, he was released after some time and it is the third time he has been picked up. Family fears this time he will not be released just like Niaz Lashari.
Niaz Lashari was a senior leader of Sindh Qomi Mahaz(Arisar group) and a victim of enforced disappearance. After his release, he used to drive a Rikshaw in Karachi city of Sindh. He was abducted for the second time in front of the court on 19 January 2019 from HaidarAbad city and his bullet-riddled dead body was found in Karachi in June 2020.
Sattar Hakdo’s family alone does not fear of his fate being of as Niaz Lashari. Aqib Chandio, a Sindhi political activist, was abducted from Larkana city of Sindh in 2018 and he was released in 2019 after remaining missing for a year. However, he did not see freedom for a long time; he was again abducted from his house in Karachi on the 7th of June. According to Aqib’s sister, Shazia Chandio, who herself is an active member of ‘Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh’ (VMPS), her brother was under treatment as he had not recovered completely from his previous abduction.
According to Sorat Lohar, the convener of VMPS, 60 activists have been abducted by Pakistani state agencies across the Sindh during the month of June. Moreover, at least 17 more have been picked up in the month of July. Enforced disappearances are considered a tool to silence dissent in Pakistan and Pakistani intelligence agencies have been accused of using it time and again without hesitation and with complete impunity.
The plight of Sindhi Missing Persons is unheard and they suffer in silence as Pakistani media hesitates covering their stories. Baloch and Pashtun missing persons issue has seen some limelight due to the Voice for Baloch Missing Person’s long march to Islamabad and decade long protest and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement’s emergence. Whereas, last month, protest camps for Sindhi missing persons were uprooted in front of Karachi Press Club and the female leaders of VMPS were dragged into police vehicles.
The intensifying state oppression is bringing the three oppressed nations closer to each other against the oppressive policies. Recently Sindhi, Pashtun, Muhajir, and Baloch leaders have hinted towards forming a joint platform for their struggle. It is only a matter of time when a mass scale united political platform can emerge in Pakistan’s political scenario.
Taking a step ahead of other platforms, armed groups of Balochistan and Sindh have already announced a union in the form of Balochistan’s armed Umbrella organization BRAS and Sindhu Desh Revolutionary Army.