PAKISTANI HELD INCOMMUNICADO AFTER FORCED DEPORTATION

Abdul Hafeez, 37, who ran an appliance installation and servicing company in Dubai, was apprehended by Emirati authorities outside his home on January 27, 2022, and subsequently detained. Just eight days later, Abdul was forcibly deported back to Pakistan. Emirati police did not give his family any information about his arrest, and only asked for his passport. Since then, they remain in the dark about his whereabouts, the charges against him or what legal recourse they have, if any. Abdul’s family believes he is in extreme danger in Pakistan, which is why he immigrated to the UAE in 2012 following deadly attacks against other family members in the past. Pakistani authorities must reveal Abdul Hafeez’s whereabouts, allow him regular contact with his family and lawyer, and guarantee his rights to fair trial and due process of law.

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1. Please take action as-soon-as possible. This Urgent Action expires on April 26, 2022.
2. Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
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CONTACT INFORMATION

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SAMPLE LETTER Dear Honourable Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, I write to you out of concern for the safety and life of Abdul Hafeez who was illegally arrested and deported by authorities in Dubai and unlawfully forced to return to Pakistan from the United Arab Emirates on February 4, 2022. Since his deportation to Pakistan, his family has not been granted access to him, nor do they have any idea about where he might be – or if he is even alive. Abdul left Pakistan in 2012, when he and his family faced violent threats to their lives. His wife and son are terrified that he will meet the same fate as his father – who was shot dead in Balochistan in 2012 – and his brother – who was abducted in 2010 allegedly by security forces and found dead two weeks later. The family must be told his whereabouts, and what the charges against him are so that they can adequately prepare for trial – his constitutional right as a Pakistani national. I urge you to reveal Abdul Hafeez’s whereabouts to his family and allow him regular communication with them and a lawyer of his choice. If he is charged with internationally recognizable crime, his fair trial rights must be fully guaranteed and respected. Sincerely, [YOUR NAME] ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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