Sindh Human Rights Dept official goes missing in Karachi

Murad Ali Shah asks state institutions to come forward if Badar Jamil Mandhro was detained by them

KARACHI: Dr Badar Jameel Mandhro, the Sindh Human Rights secretary, went missing late on Friday, prompting fears that he had been abducted. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of Badar's disappearance.

According to Badar's wife, he had gone to work at the Sindh Secretariat on Friday morning as per his usual routine. She said that he called her around 10:30pm that night to tell her he was going to Defence Housing Authority (DHA); however, she added, he did not return home all night and there was no information about his location after that phone call. She stated that she had informed senior government officials of his disappearance, and asked the chief minister to find him and bring him home.

"His number is switched off. We have been unable to contact him or his driver," Badar's brother, Javed Mandhro, told The Express Tribune.

The chief minister, meanwhile, has sought reports from Sindh IGP Dr Syed Kaleem Imam, the Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment chairman Muhammad Waseem and other relevant officials regarding the secretary's mysterious disappearance. He said that Badar should be recovered immediately if he has been abducted, or, if he has been arrested, state institutions should come forward and reveal his arrest.

Badar is under investigation by the National Accountability Bureau over the alleged illegal sale of land that caused huge losses to the national exchequer.

The Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment has denied the arrest of the human rights secretary, maintaining that he had acquired interim bail in the case registered against him. The agency added that Badar had not approached its officials regarding the case against him.

Veerji Kohli, the CM's special assistant for human rights, expressed his concern over Badar's disappearance, adding that the police were trying to trace his whereabouts. Kohli said that he was in contact with the chief minister and all other relevant officials in connection to the matter, and added that the CM had also sought reports from the South and East SSPs. Shah further directed all zonal DIGs to collaborate in the investigation and report all actions taken to find Badar.

According to the initial police report on Badar's disappearance, the secretary did not reach DHA on Friday; instead, the last location of his mobile phone was traced in Central district.

DSP Ali Raza Shah from the Preedy Police Station claimed he was unaware of any complaints filed about Badar's disappearance at Arambagh Police Station or Preedy Police Station.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2020.