PAKISTAN: 30th July 2023, Marks the 18th Year of Enforced Disappearance of Masood Janjua and Faisal Faraz
We, the undersigned organisations, stand together in solidarity on the commemoration of the 18th year of the Enforced Disappearance of Masood Janjua and Faisal Faraz. We join their families and loved ones in their ongoing struggle for truth, justice, and accountability.
The movement against Enforced Disappearances started with this particular famous case of Masood Janjua and his friend Faisal Faraz from Rawalpindi. Masood Ahmed Janjua, a famous businessman and educator from Rawalpindi, “disappeared” on 30th July 2005, while travelling on a bus to Peshawar, along with his friend Faisal Faraz – an engineer from Lahore. His mysterious disappearance could not be accounted for initially but later on, certain evidence convinced Masood Janjua’s wife, Amina, that he had been picked up by an intelligence agency of the country. It was further established through the statement of one of the resurfaced disappeared, Dr. Imran Munir. In his official statement given to the government functionaries, he testified that he had seen Masood Ahmed Janjua in a secret detention centre. In October 2006, Pakistan Supreme Court judges began hearing Masood Janjua and Faisal Faraz’s case as a Suo Moto case. Several other persons subjected to enforced disappearances who later resurfaced, testified to seeing both men in detention. Their cases are still pending before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, however, state officials deny their detention and alllknowledge of their whereabouts to date.
The last update in the case of Masood Janjua and Faisal Faraz is that the case was heard by a special bench of the Supreme Court on 16th October 2018 and within 5 minutes the Judges transferred all the cases of Disappeared to the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CoIoED) including those of Masood Janjua and Faisal Faraz. After this, many Human Rights and constitutional petitions were filed in the Supreme Court but they were always returned with different objections. The most recent one was returned in April 2021. This delaying tactic, and the vicious circle of justice in the country, is such that it meant each institution would just shake off their burden to some other authority or department. Similarly, cases in the past have bounced around different segments of the bureaucracy. Somehow, it always happens in the same way. As the maxim goes: Justice delayed is Justice denied. And here delay is equivalent to denial. For 18 long years, the families of Masood Janjua and Faisal Faraz have endured unimaginable pain and suffering. Their unwavering determination to seek answers and demand accountability from those responsible is an inspiration to us all. We recognize the anguish they have faced, the sacrifices they have made, and the resilience they have demonstrated throughout this harrowing journey.
The enforced disappearance of Masood Janjua and Faisal Faraz is not an isolated incident but a grave reflection of the broader issue of enforced disappearances in Pakistan. It serves as a reminder that no individual should be subjected to such cruel and inhumane treatment, and that every person has the right to due process, protection, and a fair trial. On 30th January 2023 in Pakistan’s Universal Periodic Review – UPR, a total of 17 specific recommendations were given to Pakistan to sign and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED). The official numbers of Disappeared citizens, cross 10 thousand as registered by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CoIoED). The victims belong to all ethnic backgrounds, to all the possible professions one can think of and to all the remote and mainstream parts of Pakistan. Ending impunity for enforced disappearances is crucial to upholding the principles of justice, accountability, and human rights in Pakistan. The government must take decisive action to bring those responsible to justice and put an end to this reprehensible practice. This includes conducting impartial and transparent investigations, prosecuting the perpetrators, and providing reparations and support to the families of the disappeared.
We also urge the Pakistani government to show their resolve by signing, ratifying and implementing the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED). Any domestic Law which is tabled in the Parliament must be inline with the spirit of the ICPPED. To the families of Masood Janjua and Faisal Faraz, we express our deepest solidarity and support. We stand by your side in your quest for truth and justice. Your courage and resilience inspires us, and we vow to amplify your voices, raise awareness, and continue advocating for an end to enforced disappearances in Pakistan and around the world. On this solemn occasion, let us reaffirm our commitment to human rights, justice, and the inherent dignity of every individual. Together, we will persist in our efforts until the day comes when enforced disappearances are eradicated, victims are reunited with their loved ones, and justice prevails.
Organisations Signed:
1) Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
2) Asian Federation Against Involuntary & Enforced Disappearances (AFAD), Philippines
3) Advocacy Forum, Nepal
4) Baloch Voice for Justice, Pakistan
5) CAGE, UK
6) Citizens Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR), Korea
7) Defence of Human Rights (DHR), Pakistan
8) Desaparecidos (Families of the Disappeared for Justice), Philippines
9) Families of the Disappeared (FOD), Sri Lanka
10) FIND, Philippines
11) Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)
12) International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED), Geneva
13) Karapatan, Philippines
14) KontraS, Indonesia
15) Latin American Federation of Associations for Relatives of the DetainedDisappeared (FEDEFAM), Argentina
16) Nonviolence International, USA
17 Odhikar, Bangladesh
18) Sindh Renaissance Forum, Pakistan
19) Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh (VMPS), Pakistan
20) Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), Pakistan O
