A liberal Pakistani activist who went missing earlier this year alleged that a “government institution” with links to the military held him and tortured him.
Waqass Goraya, one of five activists who disappeared in early January, told the BBC he was tortured “beyond limits”.
The activists were freed after several weeks – but until now none of them have said who was behind their mistreatment.
Waqass Goraya – who now lives in the Netherlands – described being punched, slapped and forced into stress positions during the three weeks he was held. He worried he would never be released.
He also spoke at a side event at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva about his experiences.
Goraya believes he was detained because he ran a satirical Facebook page criticising the influence of the Pakistani military in the country’s political system. He strongly denies breaking any laws.
“I hadn’t done anything criminal – otherwise I would’ve been in a court not in illegal detention,” he told the BBC.
At a press conference in January, a spokesman for Pakistan’s powerful military said it had had nothing to do with the disappearance of the bloggers.
Pakistan’s interior minister had previously said the government did not tolerate “enforced disappearances”.
Goraya says the allegations of blasphemy are false, and that alleged blasphemous postings have been fabricated.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has previously raised concern about the blasphemy allegations against the activists – but following the court ruling threatened to block “all social media websites” that had blasphemous content.
READ MORE: Nisar wants strategy against blasphemous social media content
Goraya says he believes that by speaking to the UN, he can help build pressure in Pakistan to pass a bill currently before parliament that would force the security services to provide information on a “missing person” in their detention within three days of a request.
He also wants accountability for what happened to him.
“The government should investigate it. We have evidence – strong evidence – it will directly lead to the persons responsible.”
Goraya still has nerve damage in his hands and feet, as well as problems with his hearing – but says he is determined to continue activist work.
Courtesy: BBC