Leftist social media activists vanish in Pakistan — NGO, relatives

ISLAMABAD: At least four Pakistani activists known on social media for their secular leftist views have gone missing this week, relatives and NGO workers told AFP Sunday, as analysts voiced rights concerns.

Two of the men – Waqas Goraya and Asim Saeed – disappeared on Jan 4, according to a cybersecurity NGO, while Salman Haider vanished Friday and Ahmed Raza Naseer Saturday, relatives said.

The interior ministry has said it will investigate the disappearance of Haider, a Dawn newspaper blogger known for his outspoken views on enforced disappearances in the southwestern province of Balochistan, but made no reference to the others.

All four were active on social media groups promoting leftist, secular views, often against the military or conservative state.

Pakistan is routinely ranked among the world’s most dangerous for journalists, and reporting critical of the military is considered a major red flag, with journalists at times detained, beaten and even killed.

“The state has controlled TV and now they’re focusing on digital spaces,” said Raza Rumi, a writer and analyst who left Pakistan in 2014 after he was attacked by gunmen who shot his driver dead.

A security source denied intelligence services were involved in the disapperances.

Naseer, who suffers from polio, was taken from his familiy’s shop in central Punjab province, his brother Tahir told AFP Sunday.