The Secretary
General
Amnesty International
1 Easton Street,
London WC1
Dear Sir
SENATOR AFTAB AHMED SHEIKH, DEPUTY CONVENOR OF THE MQM MYSTERIUOSLY DISAPPEARS FROM ALL LOCK-UPS OF THE POLICE AND JAILS OF KARACHI AND ENTIRE SINDH PROVINCE
The Punjabi Security Forces of Pakistan had systematically and persistently raided the residences of Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh, Deputy Convenor of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) in Hyderabad and Karachi for his arrest since 17th. April 2001. The I S I (Inter-Services Intelligence Agency) had abducted his son Dr Atif Ahmed Sheikh, on 18th. April 2001 the day MQM and JSQM had called for a peaceful General Strike against water shortage in Sindh province. The raids and abduction was made to coerce Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh. Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh voluntarily offered his arrest from the premises of Sindh High Court on 20th. April 2001 to save his son and other family members from the wrath of the Punjabi Security Forces and the state intelligence agencies, both I S I and M I (Military Intelligence).
Reliable sources disclosed on Saturday, 21st. April 2001, that Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh has mysteriously disappeared from all the lock-ups of the Police stations and jails of Karachi and entire Sindh province, southern Pakistan. According to the information, on Saturday, 21st. April 2001, the D S P (Deputy Superintendent of Police) of the Gulberg Police Station along with the SHO (Station House Officer) of Azizabad Police Station reached Artillery Maidan Police Station, where Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh was detained. According to reliable sources, Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh was handed over to the D S P (Deputy Superintendent of Police) Gulberg Police Station, Karachi. When the leaders of the MQM contacted Gulberg Police Station, they were told that Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh was not there. Neither the lawyers nor the relatives have been informed about the whereabouts of Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh. Whereas, the law of the land prescribes that the accused must be produced before the Court of Law within twenty-four hours of arrest. Now, over forty-eight hours have elapsed, yet Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh has not been produced before any Court of Law or his lawyers have been informed about the charges against him.
It is pertinent to note that in the morning of 18th. April 2001, the state intelligence agencies including the I S I had abducted Dr Atif Ahmed Sheikh, the non-political son of Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh.
Reliable sources have disclosed that Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh has been taken away by the state intelligence agencies, the I S I and MI to an unknown destination. His whereabouts is not being disclosed to anyone despite repeated requests made to the Authorities by the leaders of the MQM. We have apprehensions that Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh is being tortured and traumatised in custody of the state, mentally and physically. He is being coerced to change his allegiance from the MQM and distance himself from any struggle for the province of Sindh, which has been colonised, by the Punjab province.
We are extremely concerned about the life of Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh that he may well be extrajudicially executed after brutal torture for his steadfastness and determination for not changing his allegiance and to continue his righteous struggle for the rights of the Sindh province. We draw from the experience of the extrajudicial executions of the non-political brother and nephew of Mr Altaf Hussain, Mr Nasir Hussain and Mr Arif Hussain respectively, who were murdered by the state to force Mr Altaf Hussain, founder and leader of the MQM to surrender to the will of the Punjabi Masters.
We request you to intervene in this moment of distress of Senator Aftab Ahmed Sheikh to save his life on humanitarian grounds. Please also defend not only his right to life but liberty, and his democratic right to protest and take part in political activities according to his free will.
Yours faithfully
M. Anwar
Chief Organiser, MQM U.K. and Europe