Amnesty raises concern over disappearance of PTI activist

Says 'enforced disappearances have stained Pakistan's human rights record for decades and continue with impunity'

Amnesty International on Wednesday raised concern over the disappearance of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist Azhar Mashwani who was “arrested and abducted” last week.

The NGO took to Twitter and stated that the organisation is “alarmed by reports of the enforced disappearance of Azhar Mashwani, whose whereabouts remain unknown”.

Pakistan: We are alarmed by reports of the enforced disappearance of Azhar Mashwani, whose whereabouts remain unknown.

Enforced disappearances have stained Pakistan's human rights record for decades and continue with impunity. We call on the government of Pakistan to (1/3)

— Amnesty International South Asia (@amnestysasia) March 29, 2023

“Enforced disappearances have stained Pakistan's human rights record for decades and continue with impunity,” it added.

Read Amnesty International expresses concern over HR violations in IIOJK

The NGO, which focuses on human rights, urged the “government of Pakistan to immediately release all disappeared people or promptly bring them before a judge in a civilian court of law to rule on the awfulness of their arrest or detention and whether they should be released”.

immediately release all disappeared people or promptly bring them before a judge in a civilian court of law to rule on the awfulness of their arrest or detention and whether they should be released. (2/2)

— Amnesty International South Asia (@amnestysasia) March 29, 2023

A day earlier, the PTI announced it would raise the issue of cases filed against its leadership and the arrests of workers at the international level.

Senior party leader Dr Shireen Mazari said that the party had prepared a document chronicling the “human rights violations” of the PTI supporters from April 10, 2022, to March 21, 2023.

Last week, senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry also slammed the “arrest and abduction” of “about 750 leaders and workers, including Mashwani and Shahid Hussain”.

Read More Crackdown against PTI intensifies

Fawad said it was still unknown where Mashwani and Hussain were being kept, urging the world to take notice of “this state terrorism”.

“The incumbent Pakistani rulers should be punished in line with the international human rights laws,” demanded the former minister.

Crackdown on PTI workers

Last week, police had arrested dozens of supporters and aides of former premier Imran Khan in raids in two cities as part of a crackdown on those involved in recent clashes with the security forces, the PTI and police.

Supporters of Imran-led PTI clashed with police in the city of Lahore as they attempted to arrest him at his home, and later with police in Islamabad as he arrived to appear before a court.