UPDATE (Pakistan): Victim’s sister receives death threat; Victim’s family needs urgent protection 

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned that Ms. Samina Khokhar, the sister of Irfan Khokhar, has received a death threat from unknown men who are believed to be connected to the perpetrators of her brother’s murder. Irfan Khokhar was the information coordinator of Peace Worldwide, a Christian organization based in Islamabad, Pakistan, who was murdered by three men on the night of 7 February 2004.

According to the information we have received, on 25 May 2004, two unknown men followed Samina Khokhar in Islamabad and called her workplace, saying that she would be killed because her family had not withdrawn the complaint against three perpetrators involved in her brother¡¯s murder, including Hafiz Atta ur Rehman. She is now in hiding, and her other brother, Imran Khokhar, also has had to leave his home due to continuous threats.

Since Irfan Khokhar’s death, the victim’s family has been threatened by Hafiz Atta ur Rehman, who is believed to be the primary suspect responsible for the killing. In addition, staff members of Peace Worldwide have also received threats from the perpetrators. Although the police have arrested one suspect, Hafiz Atta ur Rehman and the other suspect are still at large, and the police have not taken any serious action to protect witnesses and the victim’s family.

Therefore, AHRC urgently asks you to pressure the authorities to provide protection to the victim’s family and witnesses and to ensure that justice is rendered in this case.

To see our previous urgent appeal regarding this case, please visit: UA-49-2004: PAKISTAN: Member of Christian minority community killed

Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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UPDATED INFORMATION:

On 25 May 2004, Ms. Samina Khokhar, the sister of Irfan Khokhar who was killed by three men on 7 February 2004, was followed by two unknown men in Islamabad. When she reached her office, they called her from a public telephone booth and threatened to kill her soon. They told her, “You can enjoy your life only a few days more. Your time of death is very near because your family did not withdraw the case against Hafiz Atta ur Rehman and the other two men [Meherban Khan and Safdar Ali, who are allegedly responsible for the murder of Irfan Khokhar].” Since then, she has been in hiding because of her fears of being killed. It is also reported that her other brother, Imran Khokhar, left the house due to continuous intimidation from the perpetrators. He is currently staying in a place far from Islamabad.

The body of Irfan Khokhar, who was the information coordinator for Peace Worldwide, a Christian organization in Islamabad, Pakistan, was found in the flat of Hafiz Atta ur Rehman the next day after he went out with three men on the evening of 7 February 2004. Irfan’s father, Boota Masih Khokhar, registered the case at the Taxila police station on 8 February 2004, and the police arrested Meherban Khan, but the other two suspects — Hafiz Atta and Safdar Ali – are still at large.

Since then, Irfan’s family and Hector Aleem, chairman of Peace Worldwide, have received several threats from Hafiz Atta. Prior to this most recent incident, Samina Khokhar was also followed by a man in Islamabad who approached her and showed her a gun, warning her that she would be killed like Irfan if the case was not dropped. It is reported that Aleem also received threatening telephone calls to his home since the attack on Irfan. He also reported that there were attempts on his life on 3 March 2003 in his home and on 8 January 2001 in his office.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter, fax or e-mail to the addresses below and ask for a thorough police investigation and protection for the family of Irfan Khokhar and the staff members of Peace Worldwide. In addition, please request the government of Pakistan to take steps to guarantee the safety of Pakistan’s religious minorities.

1. General Pervez Musharraf
President
Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan Secretariat,
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 4768 / 920 1893 or 1835

2. Mr. Faisal Saleh Hyat
Minister of Interior
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 920 2624

3. Minister for Law, Justice,
Human Rights, and Parliamentary Affairs
Dr. Khalid Ranjha
‘S’ Block Pak Secretariat, Islamabad
Fax: +92-51-9202628
Email: molaw1@comsats.net.pk

4. Hon. Mr. Khalid Maqbool
Governor
State Government of Punjab
Tel: +92 42 920 0016
Fax: +92 42 920 0052
E-mail: governor.sectt@punjab.gov.pk

5. Mr. Sahadat Ullah Khan
Inspector General of Punjab Police
Tel: +92 42 921 0062
Fax: +92 42 921 0028, 921 0064

6. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief
c/o Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office
8-14 Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9003
E-mail: urgent-action@ohchr.org

7. Secretariat of the Working Group on Minorities,
UN Sub Commission of the protection and promotion of human rights
c/o Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
8-14 Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9204 / 9140
Fax: +41 22 917 9010, 9022
Email: wgminorities@ohchr.org

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER