HYDERABAD, Dec 10: Intellectuals, rights activists, political leaders and social workers urged the international community on International Human Rights Day on Sunday to take notice of ‘enforced disappearances’ and arrests of political activists by the state.

Several speakers belonging to NGOs, human rights organisations, political parties and intellectual forums expressed grave concern in their speeches at rallies and processions held to mark the day against the ‘enforced disappearance’ of political activists of nationalist parties in Sindh and Balochistan.

In Hyderabad, about a dozen organisations staged a protest demonstration in front of the local press club, in which a large number of women and children who carried the pictures of their arrested or disappeared relatives also participated.

Noted intellectual Mohammad Ibrahim Joyo said that rulers had held Sindh hostage and governed the country through the barrel of gun. State terrorism had crossed all limits with Sindhis having been deprived of their land and resources.

He said that Sindhi youths were being arrested and tortured for raising voice against the atrocities. The word democracy had become a misnomer in Pakistan, Mr Joyo said and urged Sindhis to unite on one platform to save the lives of their incarcerated youths.

Veteran leftist leader Comrade Jam Saqi said that despite inhuman atrocities against the activists of nationalist parties especially Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz, the rulers had failed to break their spirit. The time was not far off when the oppressed people would succeed in snatching their rights from the usurpers, he said.

Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party leader Hote Khan Gadhi said that Sindhis were the real owners of their land and its resources and nobody could deprive them of their inherent rights.

Sindh National Congress leader Hussain Bux Thebo said that if love for one’s homeland was a crime then Sindhis and Balochis would continue to commit it every day. The leader of Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz Asghar Shah was being subjected to inhuman excesses in central jail Hyderabad, he charged.

Mohammad Khan Bugti, a close associate of late Nawab Akbar Bugti, said that inhuman atrocities being unleashed against the people of Balochistan had no parallel in the country’s history.

Prof Mushtaq Mirani, Sindh Democratic Forum leader Nazeer Memon, Najma Palari, JSSF leader Asghar Shaikh, mother of detained JSSF leader Ahmed Teevno, sister of another detained JSMM leader Muzaffar Bhutto, Ms Sehr Rizvi and Punhal Sario also spoke on the occasion.

The gatherings adopted a number of resolutions demanding exemplary punishment to the violators of human rights, withdrawal of decision to sell Sindh's islands, end to atrocities against Sindhis and Balochs, disclosure of whereabouts of missing political activists, recognition of Sindhis’ rights over their resources and cancellation of Kalabagh dam project.

Meanwhile, the teachers who had passed public service commission tests and interviews staged a demonstration to protest against delay in issuance of appointment letters.

Jeay Sindh Mutahedda Mahaz (JSMM) released a list of 17 activists who it said had been imprisoned in central jails of Karachi and Hyderabad. The party leaders said that three other nationalist leaders, Asif Baladi of Sindhi National Forum and Aakash Mallah and Safdar Sarki of JSQM were being held incommunicado.Neither the government had disclosed their whereabouts nor had they been produced in any court of law, they said.

TANDO MOHAMMAD KHAN: Aurat Foundation held a function which was addressed by Faiz Mohammad Solangi, Ms. Fareeda Khaskheli and Ms. Shabana Biloo.