According to reports, Pakistani forces and secret services raided the houses of forcibly disappeared human rights activist Rashid Hussain Baloch and his relatives, on Thursday night. During the raids, his parents were tortured and Rashid’s father, nephew and brother-in-law were forcefully disappeared by the forces.
Pakistani forces carried out two separate raids— first Rashid’s parents house in Naval Colony Karachi, where his family members were subjected to physical abuse. Subsequently forces abducted Mr Hussain’s nephew named Shah Mir Shafiq, a ninth-grade student and Hussain’s father. While the second raid was conducted at his sister’s house, where his brother-in-law Ali Jan son of Taj Muhammad was disappeared after taken into custody.
Sources told TBP that Rashid’s nephew and father were released on Friday morning, while his brother-in-law Ali Jan still remains missing. Ali Jan has been working on anti-polio campaign and preparing for CSS exams.
In this regard, Rashid Hussain’s sister Farida Baloch told TBP that last night a large number of Pakistani forces, intelligence agencies and black masked personnel stormed the houses of my parents and brother-in-law in Naval Colony. The forces personnel tortured my parents and whisked away my father and 14-year-old nephew, she said.
Farida Baloch also confirmed the abduction of her brother-in-law by Pakistani forces and intelligence personnel. “My brother-in-law named Ali Jan is still missing and during the raids, forces looted jewellery, mobile phones and laptops including other valuables, Ms Baloch said.
Farida Baloch said that despite repeated requests from her relatives, the security forces did not give any reason for raiding the houses, nor did they show any legal documents.
It is to mention that Rashid Hussain Baloch has been missing for more than two and half years. He went missing while residing in the United Arab Emirates. According to his family members, he was forcibly disappeared by the UAE intelligence agencies in front of his relatives. Family sources said that UAE secret services also raided their house and demanded for Rashid’s passport.
As per the family sources, after failing to obtain a passport, the UAE government illegally transferred Rashid Hussain to Pakistan six months later and his whereabouts are unknown since.