Please tell readers about you early lifeMy complete name is Aftab hassan Khan by Education I'm an Electronics and Computer system engineer.Born in district Umerkot Sindh,in 1979 . Graduated from The Karachi college of Computer Science, Karachi and completed Diploma of Associate Engineer in Electronics Engineering from Sindh board of Technical education Karachi. I started writing for weekly magzine 'Workers Struggle' on regularly basis my friends and father has encouraged me to write for paper.
During my studies in Karachi from 1996 to 2003, I was introduced to ideas of Marxism by Left student organizationsuch as National Student Federation.We were in opposite camp of Islami Jamiat Tulba. We had several clashed physical and ideological with IJT and were neck to neck in our support for Left wing ideas. I was elected Hall secretary of our student house.
After my studies I joined a NGO working for democratic development of Pakistan, bringing peace in south Asia and Labour rights in in particular but was also working for women and Human rights in country. I become editor of monthly magzine ' Democracy News' and started writting regulary for magzine.During course of fighting for a Democratic Pakistan, I have been arrested several times. All of my arrests were of political nature. It was some of my writings against military dictatorship of General Musharraf that I had to leave country in 2003. I opted to go to Sweden to seek asylum there.
Why did you start to work against injustice in country?
Leading an authentic life according to conscience, honesty and a commitment to truth can, at times, be very difficult. I was hardly of 18 years when, as a member of a supressed society , my concerns for poor, needy and oppressed people were continually troubling me.
In General Musharraf's so called democratic MILITARY GOVERNMENT. To speak of one's own rights, of lashes inflicted upon people, of independence, peace and democracy is deemed a great crime. Due to global interests, United States maintaines close relations with Musharraf and supports both him and his Military Government In these days, person who spoke of democracy is considered a member of Al-Qiada or an agent of RAW.
The Pakistani army, Police and Rangers raided our home several times. They took away everything; they did not even leave a single one of our pet chickens. They stripped my father, mother and sisters naked and rained lashes on their bare backs. Mortal pen sometimes stops to mention such things or flowing tears from poor eyes vanish away written matters. At top of these tortures, which is actually very difficult to describe or write down, is arrest of my own blood, my father, my mother and my sister, being dragged to police station and inhuman insult, and they have killed my father.
Now I am constrained to disclose that in order to avoid torture and inhuman insult for championing freedom of women, child labor, reduction of school fees, improvement in standards of teaching and schools and universities in general, fostering love among student community, and speaking against torture of my parents, it was necessary for me to go into exile. Life is preferred to death; even if cost is greater in choosing it, it makes possible saving of even more lives. This exile continued from september 2003 and I have not seen my sweet mother and sisters during all this time. Until now, I am not in position to correspond with them because of strict espionage of cruel government.
Thirst for human blood, claws of brutes and savage animals, espionage and torture by sophisticated weapons are still obstacles that obstruct expression of human values and innate love between mother and son.
Which difficulties and torture have you faced during all your activities in Pakistan?
Now, I briefly relate hardships and sufferings that I have experienced during my all exile period. Once Pakistani law inforcment agencies has captured me and inflicted great inhuman torture upon my person by making me naked and sprinkling very hot water on my body which caused blisters on my skin. The blisters and injuries took years together in their healing. They immersed chiles in my anus. My brown complexion had so much darkened that nobody could even recognize me. Anyway, after some time, I was able to escape dark dungeons and remained fugitive to unknown places where God almighty kept me alive. Sometime afterwards, I was again captured by brutes. But God is great who blinded their eyes and they released me saying that I was not same Aftab. Thanks to God.
The personnel of pakistani law enforcment agencies in plain clothes arbitrarily arrested .After my arbitrary arrest, I was taken to unknown place where I was brutally tortured including hitting of continuous blows on my chest and knees by batons. My both legs have been broken and I was in a critical condition fighting for my life. I was kept in incommunicado detention and denied meetings with his family members. My lawyers have also been denied access. I was inhumanly tortured to force me to sign a pre-written confessional statement prepared by State accepting crimes that I have not committed. The Military Regime with view to malign image of me.
Articles 9 and 7 of Constitution of Pakistan prohibits arbitrary arrests and torture and prescribes that no one can be detained for more than twenty-four (24) hours without being charged and produced in a Court of Law. Plethora of international laws, U N Conventions and Treaties also contain these provisions, which are respected in many parts of world while totally disregarded in Pakistan, particularly in case of those who speak agaisnt injustice and undemocratic government in country. Statements under duress are unlawful and taken purely for victimising political opponents in Pakistan.