Former MQM MNA Nisar Panhwar was arrested by Para Military Rangers in a raid at his house in Scheme 33 area of Karachi.
After his arrest, Nisar Panhwar was transferred to an unknown location
Nisar Panhwar had filed a constitutional petition in the Sindh High Court against the ban imposed on the speech of MQM leader Altaf Hussain. The petition was to be heard on Tuesday, but he was arrested the night before.
London...30 August 2022
Former MLA and senior activist of MQM Nisar Panhwar was arrested by paramilitary Rangers in a raid at his house in Scheme 33 area of Karachi on Monday night. According to the details, at one o'clock on Monday night, Paramilitary Rangers raided the house of Nisar Panhwar located in Saadi Town, Block One of Scheme 33. When the door of the house was closed, the Rangers entered the house by through stairs. Rangers personnel harassed Nisar Panhwar’s family and took Nisar Panhwar into their custody. According to the family, at the time of the raid, the Rangers personnel did not even have any search warrant for the raid or arrest.
It should be noted that Nisar Panhwar had filed a constitutional petition against the ban imposed on the speech of MQM founder leader Altaf Hussain in the Sindh High Court on Saturday, August 27, and the petition was to be heard on Tuesday, August 30,but the night before Nisar Panhwar was arrested from his home and taken to an unknown place.
The family members of Nisar Panhwar went to the Sacchal Police Station of the area to file are port of this illegal raid, arrest and enforced disappearance, but the police officials refused to file their report. On which the family members reported on the police emergency phone number 15 and also inquired in different police stations, but nothing was known about Nisar Panhwar.
On Tuesday, when his petition was heard in front of the high court Bench headed by the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Mr. Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh, Nisar Panhwar 's lawyer Khalid Mumtaz Advocate informed the court about Nisar Panhwar's arrest and enforced disappearance, he requested thecourt Sou moto should be taken on the matter. Khalid Mumtaz advocate also presented examples of Sou moto on behalf of the courts. However, the court did not accept this request.
Nisar Panhwar was arrested third time. He was arrested first time on 21st January,2020. He was released in September 2020 after9 months. He was arrested by the police for the second time on August 14, 2022,for a peaceful demonstration at the Karachi Press Club on the occasion of Pakistan's Independence Day. His release took place the next day i.e. His third arrest took place yesterday. Rangers arrested him from his house in Karachi when he filed a petition in the Sindh High Court against the ban imposed on MQM founder and leader Mr. Altaf Hussain. It has been twenty-four hours since his arrest, but still he has not been produced in any court or handed over to any police station. A petition against the enforced disappearance of Nisar Panhwar will be filed in the Sindh High Court tomorrow by his family.
Nisar Panhwar is counted among the senior members and senior parliamentarians of MQM. He was a member of National Assembly from Azizabad area of Karachi from 2004 to 2007. After which he was elected member of Sindh Assembly from Malir area of Karachi in 2008 and till 2013 he represented MQM in Sindh Assembly. With the arrest of Nisar Panhwar, not only in Karachi but also in all the cities of Pakistan and MQM workers and sympathizers living abroad, there is deep sadness.
A hashtag #ReleaseNisarPanhwar was also issued on social media by MQM's social media wing for the release of Nisar Panhwar, which trended on Twitter and people from different walks of life tweeted Nisar Panhwar in large numbers on social media. Condemned the arrest and demanded their immediate release.