Protest in Mirpur AJK Against Enforced Disappearance of Engineer Mohsin Dospal. The call for justice is growing louder, and authorities must take immediate action to ensure Mohsin’s safe return

ٓThere was a massive protest in Mirpur, Pakistan administered part of Jammu Kashmir state popularly known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as authorities failed to locate a social media activist who was force to disappear. Mohsin Dospal, 28 years old was kidnapped at 8 PM from Mirpur, despite the CCTV footage providing crucial evidence, the police have been unable to make any progress in tracing him.

The eyewitnesses said that Mohsin Dospal, a resident of Jinnahal, Mirpur, was abducted by individuals in a black Vigo along with 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.

The victim's 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.

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 or activities. 

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. 

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 does not recover 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.