HYDERABAD: Activists of nationalist parties, human rights and civil society organisations have condemned ‘enforced disappearance’ of Punhal Sario, a noted human rights activist and convener of the Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh, a day before.

Mr Sario was picked up by occupants of a double-cabin vehicle at around 11pm on Thursday night near the Sindhi Language Authority (SLA) building. Since then his whereabouts remained unknown, according to his family and friends.

Sughra Sario, his wife, has lodged a report at GOR police station and also sent a complaint to the Geneva-based UN’s Working Group on Enforced Disappea­rances, according to Sario’s friend Ali Palh.

Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz-Arisar chairman Dr Meer Alam Mari slammed Sario’s ‘enforced’ disappearance in a statement issued here and said that besides him two JSQM-A activists, Bilawal Chandio and Gulsher Taggar, had also been picked up.

He termed it a violation of United Nation’s universal declaration of human rights and urged international rights bodies to take notice of enforced disappearances to save missing persons’ lives.

Sindh National Tehreek leader Ashraf Noonari also condemned Sario’s disappearance.

Writers, intellectuals, lawyers and representatives of civil society held a demonstration after attending ‘Ahle Qalam Conference’ under the banner of ‘Voice of Missing Persons Sindh’ outside the press club on Friday.

They appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of missing persons and demanded that the Senate, national and provincial assemblies raise voice against disappearances.

They announced that they would stage province-wide protests against enforced disappearances on Aug 6.

The Voice of Missing Persons Sindh deputy convener Sorath Lohar appealed to international human rights organisations to take serious notice of Mr Sario’s enforced disappearance in order to ensure safe recovery of all missing persons.

KARACHI: A joint action committee composed of civil society organisations on Friday vehemently condemned ‘enforced disappearance’ of Mr Sario and called for his immediate release.

In a joint statement issued after a hurriedly-called meeting of civil society and human rights organisations at the Karachi office of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the human rights activists said rights defenders were not being spared by law enforcement agencies.

A number of political workers were already missing and police had failed to find their whereabouts despite registration of cases and petitions in Sindh High Court, they said.

They appealed to Sindh chief minister, inspector general of police and heads of all political parties to take notice of frequent ‘enforced disappearance’ of human rights defenders.

MIRPURKHAS: Hundreds of civil society activists held a demonstration and sit-in outside the press club in protest against ‘enforced disappearance’ of Mr Sario.

Kanji Rano Bheel and Aasan Das advocate who led the protest said Mr Sario was picked up without any charge. He had no criminal record but was only struggling for the release of missing persons, they said.

They urged the government to ensure his safe recovery and demanded the authorities concerned arrest the culprits involved in his disappearance.

MITHI: Rights activists and members of civil society voiced serious concern over ‘enforced disappearance’ of Mr Sario and demanded his early recovery. It would create a sense of deprivation among people of Sindh, they said.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2017