The package is out but where is Sami Mengal?

QUETTA, November 27: Incidents of enforced disappearances of Baloch youth and political workers is one of the main issues of Balochistan. These incidents started when the former president, General (retired) Pervez Musharraf launched a military operation in Balochistan in 2004.

The federal government has announced a package in the name of Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan aiming to solve the issues of Balochistan, including the issue of missing persons, although the nationalist forces have outrightly rejected the package.

However, it is being viewed by the supporters of government as a big step towards the solution of the problems of Balochistan. But at the same time, human rights activists in Balochistan complain that the chapter of forced disappearances has not been closed yet even after the ouster of former President Pervez Musharraf. Their claims are authenticated from the frequent incidents of missing persons. Abdul Rehman Mengal, for example, a lecturer of Mathematics in Nushki, has moved from pillar to post to ascertain the whereabouts of his younger brother, Sami Mengal, who was allegedly whisked away by government agencies. According to him, Sami is a student of Balochistan University. He was picked up by the state intelligence agencies for the first time on July,19, 2009 from Quetta when he was on his way to University and later on he was handed over to police on charges of recovering hand grenades and explosives from his possession. He was acquitted from the charges by an Anti Terrorist Court (ATC). Subsequently, he was released on bail on October 15, 2009. Sami Mengal was once again whisked away allegedly by government agencies along with his elder brother, Abdul Rehman, on November 16. While, the personnel of government agencies agreed to release Abdul Rehman after an hour, they detained Sami at unknown location. Since then he is “missing”. “It is clearly a contempt of court, as my brother was on bail but he was whisked away by personnel of security agency”, said Abdul Rehman while narrating his ordeal to The Baloch Hal.

“We were getting out of a shop at Jinnah Road when some personnel of a security forces in a plain clothes pushed us into a vehicle and covered our faces with mask. After about one hour drive, they stopped vehicle at Airport Road and kicked me out”, he added.

He said that when he removed the mask from his face, those who had taken him away had already vanished in thin air. “After the lapse of more than one week, I am still unaware about whereabouts of my brother,” he remarked. Rehman said that Sami had remained a brilliant student throughout his academic career and he was one of the top position holders in Naushaki District. He feared that illegal detention of his brother would certainly affect the latter’s educational career as his exams of third semester were taking place when he was taken into custody. “Sami has never indulged in any illegal activity. His teachers feel proud of him but it seems that his forced disappearance is aimed at keeping the Balochs away from education”, Rehman replied when questioned about possible motivations behind the disappearance of his brother.

A disenchanted Rehman groused that the superior judiciary in the country had still not become fully independent to deal with the security forces that are randomly picking up the youth of Balochistan and throwing them inside torture cells for unknown reasons.

“We were attaching high hopes with Chief Justice of Pakistan who had taken notice of incidents of missing persons before being removed by General Pervez Musharraf. After the restoration of judiciary, issue of missing persons has not been given due priority as was being anticipated by the affected families”, he added.

Abdul Rehman, who is making all possible efforts to ensure the safe and immediate recovery of his brother, said government, on the one hand, was beating the drums of

“Balochistan packages” and “Balochistan committees” but, on the other hand, violation of human rights was skyrocketing in the province of Balochistan. He appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan and other human rights organizations to take notice of Sami Mengal’s illegal detention and locate him along with other missing Balochs.

“We believe keeping Sami illegally at an unknown location is meant to destroy his future”, Rauf Baloch, a close friend of Sami, “Sami had a remarkable role in promotion of education in Nushki. He used to voluntarily teach poor students of our village.”

In addition, Nasrullah Baloch, chairman of the Voice for Missing Baloch

Persons told the Baloch Hal that incidents of enforced disappearances had once again risen at an alarming rate. Regretting the lack of interest exhibited by the present government and the chief justice of Pakistan towards the plight of the missing persons and the miseries of their families, Mr. Baloch said the matter of missing persons was being completely ignored by the rulers of the country.

It may be mentioned that Baloch nationalist parties claim that around 4,000 are missing from across the province.