Activists from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) gathered in Geneva to spotlight a growing human rights crisis: enforced disappearances and brutal crackdowns by the Pakistani government. During a side event at the 60th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy hosted discussions under the theme “Enforced Disappearances in Pakistan: Amplifying Voices, Demanding Justice, Calling for Global Action.”
Speakers shared alarming stories of disappearances, torture, and killings across regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and PoJK. They urged the international community to hold Pakistan accountable under key global standards, including the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
Fazal-ur-Rehman Afridi, a Pashtun activist with the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), described how Pakistan targets Pashtun communities with widespread enforced disappearances and repression. “We’ve informed the UN Human Rights Council about this repeatedly,” Afridi told . “We recently submitted 6,500 confirmed cases just for Pashtuns. Add in Sindhis and Balochis, and the numbers are huge.” He accused the state of labeling PTM members as terrorists to justify the violence.
From PoJK, exiled activist Nasir Aziz Khan, spokesperson for the United Kashmir People National Party, condemned recent attacks on peaceful protesters. He pointed to the September 27 demonstrations organized by the Awami Action Committee, where Pakistani Rangers allegedly fired on crowds, killing several people. “Since September 29, reports show more than 10 deaths,” Khan said. “Pakistan exploits PoJK’s resources since 1947 and now uses brutal force against civilians. Hundreds face jail, torture, and injury. We call on the UN to intervene and protect Kashmiris under Pakistani occupation.”
Dr. Habib Millat, a former Canadian MP and president of the Global Center for Democratic Governance, called enforced disappearances a serious global human rights violation that demands urgent action.
Kamran Jatoi from the World Sindhi Congress highlighted similar abuses in Sindh, where protesters against a controversial canal project on the Indus River have been abducted. He slammed Pakistan’s anti-terrorism courts for silencing dissenters and demanded an end to these tactics.
The event wrapped up with a strong push for international pressure on Pakistan to stop enforced disappearances, deliver justice, and protect citizens’ basic rights. As voices from affected communities grow louder at the UN, the call for accountability echoes far beyond Geneva.
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