Amnesty International, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), and several student and rights groups have condemned the alleged enforced disappearance of Ghani Aman Chandio, central chief organiser of the Sindh National Students Federation (SNSF), who was reportedly abducted from a hospital in Karachi.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident took place on 28 October at Memona Hospital on Shahrah-e-Quaideen, near Tariq Road, where Chandio had brought his infant daughter for treatment.
Witnesses said a group of armed men in civilian clothes, allegedly accompanied by paramilitary Rangers personnel, entered the hospital, seized mobile phones, destroyed CCTV footage, and blindfolded Chandio before taking him away in front of his family.
In a statement on Wednesday, Amnesty International described the abduction as “deeply troubling,” calling it “a blatant attack on his rights to liberty, dignity, and due process.”
“The abduction of a father visiting his hospitalized infant daughter is not only cruel and inhumane but also a blatant attack on his rights,” the organisation said.
Amnesty cited eyewitness accounts that “plain-clothes men accompanied by uniformed law-enforcement officials abducted Ghani, intimidated bystanders in the hospital, and confiscated the mobile phones of all family members present.”
The rights watchdog said Ghani had previously been named in a criminal case for allegedly raising “anti-state” slogans during a protest and had delivered a lecture on student politics at a local university a day before his abduction.
“We are very concerned about Ghani’s safety,” Amnesty said, urging Pakistani authorities to “immediately disclose his fate and whereabouts, ensure his safe return, and conduct a prompt, thorough, independent and transparent investigation.”
In a statement, the Baloch Students Organization (BSO) said “state institutions, fearful and unsettled by the growing resistance movements across the country, continue to target peaceful political workers through unconstitutional and brutal tactics.” The group called Chandio’s disappearance a “blow to the democratic political process” and demanded his immediate release along with other missing persons.
The HRCP also expressed “deep concern,” describing the incident as part of a broader pattern of state repression.
“The manner in which this action was taken is deeply concerning,” HRCP said. “Mr Chandio and other citizens who have been arbitrarily detained, abducted or forcibly disappeared reflect the state’s continued policy of curbing fundamental freedoms and stifling political dissent.”
The HRCP reiterated its call for Chandio’s immediate recovery, warning that “such draconian measures only exacerbate political chaos and social fragmentation.”
The Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh (VMPS) Europe Chapter also condemned the abduction, calling it “a blatant violation of human rights and an attempt to silence peaceful dissent in Sindh.”
In a statement, VMPS coordinator Sarang Sindhi said Chandio was “a non-violent political activist with a long-standing record of advocating for democracy and human rights.” He said Chandio had been attending to his twin children admitted to the hospital when he was taken away by men backed by paramilitary Rangers.
“The perpetrators intimidated patients and attendants before taking him away,” he added, saying family members were assaulted and had their phones confiscated.
The VMPS urged Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), and the International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED) to condemn the abduction and press Islamabad to disclose Chandio’s whereabouts.
Protests have since been held outside the Karachi Press Club and in Jamshoro, joined by several human-rights organisations, including the Sindhi Association of North America (SANA) and the World Sindhi Congress (WSC), demanding Chandio’s release and an end to enforced disappearances across Sindh.
As of Wednesday evening, Pakistani authorities have not issued any statement regarding Ghani Aman Chandio’s whereabouts or the circumstances surrounding his abduction.