Human Rights Groups Condemn Abduction Of Sindhi Student Leader From Karachi Hospital

Leading human rights groups have strongly condemned the alleged abduction of Sindh National Students Federation (SNSF) chief organiser Ghani Aman Chandio, who was reportedly taken by armed men from Memona Hospital in Karachi on 28 October, while seeking treatment for his infant daughter.

Eyewitnesses said that the men, allegedly accompanied by Pakistani paramilitary Rangers, confiscated mobile phones, destroyed CCTV footage, and blindfolded Chandio before taking him away in front of his family, The Balochistan Post reported.

In a statement on X, Amnesty International South Asia described the incident as a “blatant attack on his rights to liberty, dignity, and due process.” The organisation demanded that Pakistani authorities disclose Chandio’s whereabouts and ensure his immediate and safe return.

“Abducting a father visiting his hospitalised infant daughter is not only cruel and inhumane but also a gross violation of human rights,” Amnesty stated, adding that such actions erode public trust in law enforcement and justice institutions.

Amnesty noted that authorities had earlier charged Chandio with raising ‘anti-state’ slogans during a protest, and he had recently delivered a lecture on student politics at a local university. The organisation expressed concern that his activism had made him a target of state repression.

HRCP and BSO Demand Accountability

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also condemned the abduction, saying it reflects the state’s continued policy of stifling dissent and curbing fundamental freedoms.

“HRCP demands the immediate recovery of political activist Ghani Aman Chandio, allegedly taken into custody by state operatives while tending to his daughter in a hospital. Such actions deepen political chaos and social fragmentation,” the organisation said in a statement.

The Baloch Students Organisation (BSO) echoed this sentiment, asserting that “state institutions, fearful of rising resistance movements, continue to target peaceful political workers through unconstitutional tactics.”

The group described Chandio’s disappearance as ‘a blow to the democratic process’.

The Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh (VMPS) Europe Chapter also denounced the incident, calling it ‘a blatant violation of human rights and an attempt to silence peaceful dissent’.

VMPS coordinator Sarang Sindhi described Chandio as a ‘non-violent political activist who had long advocated for democracy and human rights’.

He alleged that Chandio was abducted in front of his twin children and that his family members were assaulted and their phones seized.

Widespread Condemnation

Prominent Baloch activist Sammi Deen Baloch also condemned the incident, saying, “They dragged Ghani Aman Chandio out of a hospital while his sick daughter was in the next room. Now his family is protesting on the streets, demanding a father they may never see again. Every time they silence one voice, a thousand more rise from the dust.”

The growing chorus of condemnation underscores rising alarm over enforced disappearances in Pakistan, particularly targeting political activists and student leaders in Sindh and Balochistan.

Human rights organisations have reiterated their demand for Chandio’s immediate release, transparent investigations, and accountability for those responsible for yet another act that has deepened mistrust in the country’s justice system.

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