UK: World Sindhi Congress stages protest against extrajudicial killing of activist in Pakistan
Mar 05, 2024
London [UK], March 5 : In the wake of the extrajudicial killing of a human rights activist in Pakistan, World Sindhi Congress (WSC) staged a protest against the Pakistan agencies at the UK Prime Minister's residence, 10 Downing Street in London on Sunday, an official statement said.
According to the statement, the human rights activist Hidayat Lohar was tragically murdered by unidentified assailants in his hometown of Nasirabad, Sindh, Pakistan, on 16 February while on his way to the school where he worked as a teacher.
The protest saw the participation from Sindhi, Baloch and other human rights supporters across UK, who called for justice for the activist Lahore and accountability for the Pakistani agencies allegedly implicated in his brutal murder.
Speakers at the event, including notable Sindhi and Baloch human rights advocates, highlighted Lohar's harrowing experiences, including his disappearance from 2017 to 2019 and subsequent torture at the hands of Pakistani agencies.
They recounted the efforts of his daughters, Sortah and Sasuie, who have been vocal in their demand for justice not only for their father but for the hundreds of Sindhis forcibly abducted by state agencies. Their activism led to the formation of the Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh (VMPS), advocating for releasing all missing individuals in the region.
"Despite being abducted again in 2023 and facing continuous threats, Mr. Lohar's release was secured following widespread protests throughout Sindh. However, his assassination on 16th February marks a tragic attempt to silence his voice forever," the statement said. 
"The speakers condemned Pakistan as a state that systematically violates human rights, engaging in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of Sindhi, Baloch, and Pashtoon communities. They called on the international community to intervene and halt Pakistan's ongoing human rights abuses," it added.
In a concluding act of advocacy, a WSC delegation presented a letter to the UK Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street. The letter implored the Prime Minister to support efforts in seeking justice for Hidayat Lohar and to pressure Pakistan to cease its practices of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
Additionally, it requested the establishment of an All Parties Parliamentary Committee (APPG) to examine human rights violations by Pakistan. It advised withholding any aid until Pakistan adheres to the UN Charter on Human Rights.
