Four rights activists gone missing this week

From Madiha Tahir: Salman Haider is one of 4 writers/bloggers/activists that have been picked up. All of them frequently critiqued the Pakistani military-intel establishment as well as the pious hypocrisies of Pakistani society. More here.

Famed Pakistani poet, academic, and Left activist Salman Haider has gone missing since last Friday. As of now, we have little credible information but we believe that Salman was abducted due to his political views and writings. Salman has been a staunch champion of the oppressed and working class peoples of Pakistan, and uses his witty prose and incisive verses to challenge and mock all forms of oppression in Pakistan.

He is not alone. Within hours of his abduction, news of other activists disappearing has emerged–Waqas Goraya, Aasim Saeed, and Ahmed Raza Naseer have gone missing.

We demand that the Pakistani state apparatus–its military, intelligence agencies, and civilian institutions–act promptly to ensure the safe recovery of all activists.

We call on scholars, playwrights, poets, writers, activists, artists from around the world to join hands to call for immediate action to find and recover Salman Haider, Waqas Goraya, Aasim Saeed, and Ahmed Raza Naseer. We ask for show of solidarity and support for those fighting for a just, equal, and free Pakistan.

Pls sign this petition here.