Pakistan: Nationwide Protest Against Imran Khan’s Govt Over the Recovery of Shia ‘Missing’ Persons

Kabul: The Joint Committee of Pakistan has called for a nationwide protest from April. The protest is to recover the ‘Shia’ missing persons and their families. On Monday, the members of the Joint Committee expressed their concerns over the disappearance of their relatives.

They even alleged the Government of Pakistan for not being serious about their recovery. The Pakistan authorities had assured several times to find out the missing persons but it was all in vain. Till now also, the missing persons had not been found.

On the human rights record of Pakistan, the enforced disappearances have been a long stain. Many times, the Government has taken pledges to criminalize the practice, but there has been a very slow movement on the legislation.

To silence the minority communities, the Pakistani state has used the enforced disappearance as a tool. Countless abductees have been killed and many of them are facing inhuman torture in the army secrets cells.

One of the JAC members said, “Our concern has heightened due to the outbreak of the global pandemic. The recovery of missing persons has put a strain on our patience. If our youth are not recovered by the end of this month, the families of the enforced disappearance will protest across the country from April 2”. On April 2, the nationwide protest was declared by the JAC.