February 16, 2012 Ms.

Nadia Gabol Minister for Human Rights Government of Sindh, Pakistan secretariat, Barrack 92, Karachi, Sindh Province PAKISTAN Fax: +92 21 9207044 Tel: +92 21 9207043 +92 21 9207043 +92 21 9207043 +92 21 9207043 E-mail: lukshmil@yahoo.com Re: PAKISTAN: Missing persons from Sindh province have been found

Dear Ms. Nadia Gabol, Name of victims: Khadim Lolahi resident of village Shah Ali of Dakhan town province of Sindh, Pakistan Qurban Jatoi resident of Ratodero, Province of Sindh, Pakistan Names of alleged perpetrators: Law enforcement Agencies Date of incident: February 12, 2012 Place of incident: Achhi Maseet (white mosque) bus stop in Madeji town of Larkana district, province of sindh, Pakitan I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the extra judicial killings of two young persons from Sindh province by the members of security agencies. Their bodies were found on the roadside in the same manner in which has been seen in Balochistan province. I am informed that bullet riddled bodies of the two young Sindhi men, Khadim Lolahi and Qurban Jatoi were found in Goth Sohna Gahej near the Achhi Maseet bus stop in Madeji town of Larkana district, Sindh province on the morning of 12 February. They were the activists of the Jeay Sindh Mutehda Movement (JSSM) that is working for the separation of Sindh from Pakistan. It is very shocking news for me that the two youth were missing for the last six months as they were kidnapped by the plain clothes officials while they were on their way to Karachi, the capital

of the province, 350 kilometers from their district. When the villagers found the dead bodies lying on the roadside they were shocked at the signs of torture and bullet wounds. They immediately informed the Madeji police who later made announcements over the mosques loud speakers calling for the identification of the bodies. A woman, Mahtab Khatoon Lolai identified one of them as her brother Khadim Lolai and his friend Qurban Jatoi. The Madeji police without conducting an investigation then announced that both the killed men were notorious criminals. The residents of Sohna Gahej village refuted the claim of the police and told the media that these two persons, along with others, were picked by a double cabin vehicle in the night six months before the incident when they were going to Karachi. On the morning of February 12, the people of the village saw two bloody bodies lying on the road side spot when they were going to the Mosque to offer their morning prayers. The relatives said that both Qurban Jatoi of Ratodero and Khadim Lolai of village Shah Ali of Dakhan town were picked up by security men. The sad aspect of the story is that the deceased Khadim Lolai is the third member of his family to be picked up by the security agencies and killed in custody. Earlier his two brothers, as told by the villagers, were also picked up by men from a security agency, they say from ISI, and their bodies dumped near their village in similar way. It is no secret that when the involvement of the security agencies is involved the police generally avoid filing cases of abduction and disappearances. Besides this, in the month of January 2012, five young men were picked up by plainclothes personnel from various parts of the province. They included Imtiaz Shah from Matli district Badin. His brother Mukhtiar said Imtiaz has no connection with any political or nationalist party. He said he was picked up when he was on his way from Matli to home at Rajo Khanani. Two persons, Noor Muhammad Khaskheli and his nephew Ghulam Muhammad khaskheli were picked up by plain clothes officials from Gulistan Sajjad, Qasimabad Hyderabad, while two more persons Siddique and Faisal were picked up by agencies personnel from Mirpurkhas. These are both said to belong to a religious party. It is very shocking for me to learn that forced disappearances occur across the country but more cases are reported from Baluchistan and Sindh who face violence from ethnic and religious armed groups and state security forces. Political activists and young students have been especially targeted and hundreds of them are found dead with their bodies showing signs of torture. In the month of January 2012 as many as 5 young men were picked up by the secret intelligence agencies from different areas of Sindh. They are still missing and cannot be found until now. The JSQM and JSMM had taken out rallies in various towns of Sindh for release of their workers kidnapped by agencies. They say that if there was any case against any one of them they should be produced in court. The recent killing of picked up two young men of Madeji has

sent wave of fright among Sindhi political workers as they see Baluchistan like situation being created by agencies in Sindh. It is a fact that many students and the activist workers of the Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) disappear and their family members are not filing any complaint against the intelligence agencies because they have fear that if the news of their disappearance is leaked their loved ones will be brutally killed in the same manner in which it is happening in Balochistan. Now even the Sindhi people are facing the same situation where the young workers of the activist parties are arrested and disappeared and after few days their dead bodies are found on the road side. I am also concerned that The Government authorities have failed to resolve such cases of disappearances and are unable to hold the security forces and intelligence agencies to account in cases in which they are implicated. Pakistan, being a member state of the UN Human Rights Council has a duty to follow international norms and standards for the safety and security of individuals. I therefore urge you to ensure that all the disappeared persons from Sindh province be recovered safely and returned to their families. In particular I urge you to ensure the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances has the power and resources to investigate cases of alleged disappearance. All individuals subjected to enforced disappearance are released or brought promptly before regular civilian courts and charged with a recognizable criminal offence. I urge you to ensure that those responsible for ordering or carrying out the enforced disappearances are brought to justice. Yours sincerely, William Nicholas Gomes William's Desk www.williamgomes.org