KARACHI: Prominent human rights activist and lawyer Jibran Nasir was abducted late on Thursday night in the southern city of Karachi, his wife said. No law enforcement agency confirmed that Nasir is in their custody, but his abduction comes as the country is mired in a fresh bout of political turmoil.
In a video posted on social media, Mansha Pasha, Nasir’s wife, said the two were driving home when they were intercepted by a white pickup truck and a sedan. “After that, at least 15, probably more men in civilian clothing came and told Jibran to get out of the car,” Pasha, a well-known actor, said, adding that all the men were armed, some with automatic weapons.
She said they gave no explanation at to why Nasir was being taken. Pasha said that she tried filing a case with the police, but they were reluctant to register it officially. A spokesman for the provincial government of Sindh did not respond to a request for comment.
Nasir, who contested the 2018 elections as an independent candidate, has been an outspoken critic of multiple human rights violations in the country and represented victims as a lawyer in a number of prominent cases.
Lately, he has criticised the mass arrests of leaders from former prime minister Imran Khan’s party and the move to try them in military courts following violent protests earlier this month. The civil society and human rights organisations announced a protest outside the Karachi Press Club at 4pm on Friday against Jibran’s “unjust abduction”.
“It is time to demand his immediate release and ensure that justice prevails,” the organizations said in a statement and urged people to participate in the protest. Jibran’s arrest attracted widespread criticism and condemnation mainly from human right organization and civil society.
Amnesty International condemned the abduction and cited that “it is yet another case that the country has seen in recent weeks in the wake of authorities cracking down on critical voices following violent clashes during Imran’s arrest.” Authorities must expeditiously and impartially investigate and determine his whereabouts, it demanded.
If in state custody, Jibran must either be released immediately or if there is sufficient evidence, produce him in a civilian court, and charge him with an internationally recognizable offence, Amnesty International said.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan demanded that Jibran “be safely recovered immediately and his abductors held accountable under the law.” Former administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab said an FIR has been registered and efforts are being made to trace his whereabouts. PTI leader Farrukh Habib said the situation was “absolutely condemnable”.
A tweet from PTI’s official account echoed similar views and called for Jibran’s immediate release. In a statement, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah raised concerns over Nasir’s “disappearance” and sought a report from the police chief. He also directed the police to expedite efforts to recover the lawyer.
