Amnesty Urges Pakistan to Investigate Disappearance of Afghan Journalist and Artist

Amnesty Urges Pakistan to Investigate Disappearance of Afghan Journalist and Artist
————————————–
Amnesty International has called on Pakistani authorities to urgently investigate the disappearance of Afghan journalist Sayed Qasim Hashemi and Afghan artist Hamed Ehsas, who have reportedly been missing in Islamabad for more than two months.

The rights group said police have not registered a formal case over the disappearances, raising concerns that the two men may have been subjected to enforced disappearance or arbitrary detention. Amnesty urged authorities to disclose their whereabouts, clarify their legal status and provide information to their families.

The organization called for a prompt, impartial and transparent investigation, stressing that any person held by the state must have access to legal protections and that families have the right to know the fate of missing relatives.

The case comes amid broader concerns over the treatment of Afghan refugees, journalists and activists in Pakistan, where rights groups have reported increasing arrests, deportations and allegations of intimidation and unexplained detentions since a government crackdown on undocumented Afghan migrants began.

Amnesty said Pakistani authorities must ensure accountability if state institutions are found responsible for the disappearance of the two Afghan nationals.