World Sindhi Congress urges UN to press upon Pakistan to release missing people

London [UK], April 4 (ANI): The World Sindhi Congress (WSC) has urged the United Nations and the international community to press upon Pakistan for the release of all missing people in Pakistan, including Hidayat Lohar.

The WSC also said in a Facebook post that it “strongly condemns” the forced abduction of Hidayat Lohar.

According to WSC, Hidayat Lohar was abducted previously and remained missing for over two years. The WSC noted that Lohar was produced under false cases and later court declared him innocent. It said that the abduction of Lohar reflects Pakistan’s desperation to create an atmosphere of utmost fear in Sindh for the rights movement.

“World Sindhi Congress (WSC) is deeply concerned and strongly condemns the forced abductions of Hidayat Lohar. He was abducted previously and remained missing for more than two years, from April 17 to May 19, 2017, when he was produced under false cases and later released by the court as innocent,” World Sindhi Congress said in the Facebook post.

It further said, “Today’s abduction of Mr. Lohar shows that the state of Pakistan is desperate to create an atmosphere of utmost fear in Sindh for rights movement. We are seriously concerned about his life and wellbeing. We strongly demand from the Pakistan government to immediately release him. WSC requests the UN and the International Community to press upon Pakistan for his release and release of all missing persons in Pakistan.”

In March, World Sindhi Congress (WSC) held a protest in front of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva during its 52nd Session. The protest was held against the ongoing human rights atrocities perpetrated by Pakistan against the Sindhi people.

Exiled leaders of Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and human rights defenders from various countries of Europe joined the protest. The speakers said that Pakistan continues to commit heinous crimes against Sindhi, Baloch, Kashmiri and Pashtun people through enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, persecution of religious minorities, looting and occupation of their resources.

WSC representatives said the human rights violations in Sindh are increasing by the day and no recourse to justice is available. During the 52nd session of the UNHRC in Geneva, the WSC delegation presented the case of Sindhi people on enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, criminal negligence of the Pakistan government during rains and floods, discrimination and suppression of Sindhi language, persecution of Sindhi Hindus and occupation of lands and resources of Sindhi people.

Earlier in February, the World Sindhi Congress held a large protest in the United Kingdom against the enforced disappearances of Sindhi and Baloch, including Majid Haidari, Irfan Zharani, Ayub Kandhara, Insaf Dayo, Kashif Taghar, Sohail Raza Bhatti, according to the World Sindhi Congress’ post on Facebook.

The WSC on Sunday demanded the Pakistan government stop the enforced disappearances and release all the missing. The WSC delegation also submitted a petition to the British Prime Minister requesting him to pressurise Pakistan to stop enforced appearances of Sindhi people and release all the missing persons, according to the Facebook post.