NGO leader forced to take asylum in Nepal
HYDERABAD: An NGO leader and head of Institute for Social Movements Pakistan Syed Zulfiqar Shah has said that he had taken asylum in Nepal through UNHCR out of harassment of state agencies of Pakistan. But in Nepalese town of Satobedo where he was residing there also was chased by agencies men due to which he had to shift his family to another place in Nepal. He said he was working in an NGO in Sindh since last 15 years and along with it striving for rights of oppressed people including peasants, labourers and minorities.
He told mediamen at press conference at Hyderabad press club on Thursday that due to threats by secret agencies of Pakistan who were irritated on his human rights work, he left Pakistan for Nepal on 31 May 2012 and took asylum there.
He said as he source of living he joined Tribhuvan university as researcher and also started to write for local newspapers. He said as on 17 December 2012 he was on his way to UN office along with a Nepalese journalist he was intercepted by few men who appeared by complexion like Pakistan who harassed him. He informed UN office about threats he received in Nepal. Zulfiqar Shah told that on the next day he fell ill and was taken to hospital where doctors told him that he was poisoned.
He told that he was admitted in Himal hospital in such a situation his wife brought him back to Pakistanon 24 December last. He said the test done on his body reveal the effects of poison in is liver and digestive system. However he said that as he was not satisfied with the way of treatment in Pakistan as such he has decided to go abroad for treatment but expressed apprehension that he again might be disturbed by agencies here before his departure from Pakistan.
He expressed suspension that if anything happened to him Pakistan state agencies shall be held responsible.
