Four months later: Political activist Wahid Baloch returns home

Daughter leaves exam sheet half blank in the excitement to meet her father

KARACHI: Four months after he went missing, social activist and publisher Wahid Baloch finally returned home to Chakiwara in Lyari Monday afternoon.

“My father came back on Monday at 2pm,” his daughter, Hani Baloch, told The Express Tribune.

According to his family members, Wahid had gone missing on July 26 while returning from the Toll Plaza on the Super Highway.

After Wahid’s mysterious disappearance, the family, along with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) came out on the streets to hold protests and filed a petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC) as well.

After his disappearance, the police avoided registering a case, but, after an SHC order, the police registered an FIR at the Gadap police station in September against intelligence agencies.

“My father and his friend, Sabir Ali Sabir, were coming home after attending an event at Digri [a town in district Mirpurkhas] when he was taken away by some people in plain clothes ,” said Hani.

“We are thankful to the HRCP, other civil society members and the media for highlighting this case and are celebrating my father’s return,” she said.

Wahid’s younger daughter, Maheen, unable to control her happiness, said that at the moment, the family is just celebrating the return of her father. Ever since my father has returned, hundreds of people are coming to greet him, she said.

“I was giving my exam at around 3pm when I got the message that my father had returned home,” said Maheen, adding that, out of excitement, it was difficult for her to pass the time in the examination hall and so she left half the answer sheet blank and rushed home. “I hugged my father tightly when I saw him standing in the house after four long months,” said Maheen.

HRCP Sindh vice-president Asad Iqbal Butt said that he had met Wahid after his return and he [Wahid] had narrated a few details to Butt.

Wahid had no idea about where he was kept as he was blindfolded as soon as he was picked up, said Butt.

Wahid’s abductors had confused him for a religious extremist, he [Wahid] assumed after the type of questions he was asked by them during interrogations, said Butt, adding that the questions were based on the sect Wahid followed and if he believed in eating niaz, to which Wahid had responded that he does not even hesitate to eat ‘prasad’ from a Hindu temple.

Responding to a question about any torture during the custody, he said Wahid was barely put through any physical torture but they [abductors] subjected him to mental torture instead. Butt added that Wahid was held alonside people who belonged to banned religious organisations.

We are celebrating this moment since our efforts have paid off, said Butt, adding that during all the rallies carried out for Wahid, he had always pointed out that there was a major misunderstanding in Wahid’s arrest. Although Wahid supports Baloch activists, he is very much against the armed struggle, said Butt.

Meanwhile, Butt added that HRCP demands a fair trial for everyone in custody. Once the court proves any charges against someone, then the law enforcement agencies have the right to take them into custody for further investigations, he said, adding that HRCP will continue to raise its voice against any illegal custody.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2016.