Fundamental human rights being denied to missing Shias, say parents

The parents of missing Shia Muslims along with office bearers of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen addressed a press conference at the Lahore Press Club where they complained that their near and dear ones were being denied their fundamental human rights guaranteed in the Constitution.

The spokesman of Missing Persons of Millat-e-Jafaria Punjab Sajid Hussain Khan, and the father of Raghib Abbas and others said that the Article 9 of the Constitution of Pakistan says: No person shall be deprived of life or liberty saves in accordance with law. He said that the article 10 says: Fair trial is now a fundamental, constitutional right belonging to every citizen of Pakistan. Thus, the right to fair trial is now a fundamental, constitutional right belonging to every citizen of Pakistan; it extends not only to criminal charges but also to civil rights and obligations.
They said that Army Chief and Interior Minister had been stressing on rule of law and rights of people therefore they demand that the higher authorities should also respect law and release those Shia Muslims who were subjected to enforced disappearances. They said that if there is any case against them, they should be granted their right under article 10 for fair trial.
They denounced the unfair and unjust treatment being meted out to the Shia Muslims despite the fact that they had never rebelled nor they ever remained involved in any sort of anti-state activities. They said that many schools of thought and their banned outfits had promoted terrorism and extremism in Pakistan but their ringleaders were allowed freedom and protocol but innocent Shia Muslims were being punished for their patriotism.