Disappearance of people- Turmoil in Sindh Province

Recent violent protests in Karachi, Malir, Hyderabad, Lakarna and many places in Sindh against Deep State's forced disappearances are being met with more & more forced disappearances, especially in Sindh province. Missing persons is a generic term used in Pakistan referred to the ostensibly hundreds of persons in Pakistan especially Sindh, who have been forcefully abducted by different security and law enforcement agencies.

According to Amina Masood Januja, human rights activist, there are over 70,000 reported cases of enforced disappearances in Pakistan, with numbers growing day by day. A major reason for the latest increase in enforced disappearances is the multi-billion dollar China - Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The intelligence agencies treat critics of CPEC as their enemies. Deep State has a deep interest in CPEC and shall thrive on Those who even whisper against CPEC are either kidnapped or are being killed.

Families of missing persons of Sindh recently organised a 72-hour hunger strike outside Karachi press club under the banner of 'Voice of Missing Persons'. Baloch, Pashtoon, Mojahars, Sindhis and bloggers have gone missing for unknown and unexplained reasons without fair trial or charge sheet. Citizens are denied fundamental right enshrined in Article 9 of Pakistan constitution and free trial under Article 10A of COP 1973 and section 167 Criminal Procedure Code for production on custody before a magistrate within 24 hours.

Sindh Human Rights Defenders (SHRD), a voluntary organisation campaigning for the disappeared has stated that while the number of disappearances has increased manifold, only nine of missing persons have returned to their houses. There are no formal allegations or charges against those who have forcefully disappeared.

Sindh has the second largest economy in Pakistan. Most gas producing and other industries contribute to over 30% of Pakistan's GDP. Sindh’s Islam has a strong Sufi ethos. Sindh also has the maximum percentage (7.5%) of Hindu community of Pakistan. Disappearances of people linked to Sindhi nationalism, both directly as activists and indirectly as defenders of the rights of those activists, have significantly increased and are a matter of concern for people of Sindh and the global community.

Destabilisation and human rights violation in Sindh is likely to affect people of this Western corner of South Asia and should be a concern for all peace-loving people of the world in general and South Asia in particular. People of Sindh have also been fighting for the independent state due to the atrocities of Pakistan Army since 1978. With instabilities emerging in Pakistan and Deep State becoming more and more coercive; the demand for Sindh’s independence shall be a credible story to follow.