Mirpur, a city in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir, is witnessing ongoing protests as authorities fail to locate a young man who was forcibly abducted on February 2nd. The 28-year-old, Mohsin Dospal, was kidnapped at 8 PM from Mirpur, and despite CCTV footage providing crucial evidence, the police have been unable to make any progress in tracing him.
Incident Overview
Mohsin Dospal, a resident of Jinnahal, Mirpur, was abducted by individuals in a black Vigo and another unidentified vehicle. CCTV footage revealed that these vehicles passed through the Mangla checkpoint into Pakistan without any hindrance. The security personnel at the checkpoint later stated that the occupants of these vehicles claimed to be from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Islamabad, allowing them to cross without inspection.
His elder brother, Mahboob Chaudhry, reported the incident to the police on the same night, but even after seven days, authorities have not provided any substantial updates. This lack of action has sparked protests in Mirpur, with demonstrators demanding Mohsin’s immediate release.
Who is Mohsin Dospal?
Mohsin is an engineer with a passion for Naat recitation and singing. Due to unemployment, he turned to video editing and even established his own studio. According to his family, he had no political affiliations.
Recently, Mohsin gained traction on social media after releasing a critical song targeting Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and other political figures from the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). His social media activity also reflected a strong stance against the military’s influence in the country’s political and economic affairs. Many believe that his criticism on social media and his song might be the reasons behind his enforced disappearance.
Legal & Political Implications
The FIA has been actively using Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) to suppress online dissent, but this is not the first reported case of enforced disappearance in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir related to social media criticism. Unlike previous cases where people were abducted on allegations of terrorism or espionage, Mohsin’s case lacks any formal charges or legal proceedings.
Legally, the FIA cannot operate independently in Jammu and Kashmir without permission from local authorities. Any arrest should be carried out with the involvement of local police after filing a case. However, in Mohsin’s case, no such procedures were followed, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
Call for Justice
Enforced disappearances are a grave violation of human rights and cannot be justified under any circumstances. If Mohsin has committed any crime, he should be charged and given a fair trial under the law. Abducting individuals without legal procedures and detaining them without disclosure is a crime against humanity.
The protests demanding Mohsin’s release continue, and activists warn that if he is not recovered soon, the demonstrations will not remain confined to Mirpur alone. The call for justice is growing louder, and authorities must take immediate action to ensure Mohsin’s safe return to his family.
