Ahmad Waqass Goraya

Ahmad Waqass Goraya
Born
Pakistan
NationalityPakistani
CitizenshipNetherlands
Occupation(s)Activist, Blogger
Known forCritic of Pakistan Army, Victim of enforced disappearance, Abduction, Torture, Threats, Attempted murder

Ahmad Waqass Goraya (Urdu: احمد وقاص گورایا) is a Pakistani-born activist and blogger based in the Netherlands.[1] He is among several Pakistani bloggers and authors overseas who are critics of the Pakistan Army[2] who have been persecuted, tortured[3] and threatened.[4][3] They include Salman Haider,[5] Gul Bukhari,[6] and others.[7]

Abduction, blasphemy charge and torture

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In January 2017 Goraya became victim of enforced disappearance[8] along with five other bloggers and were released after several weeks. [1] He was abducted from Lahore on January 4, 2017.[8] He and other activists were tortured by Pakistani intelligence agency ISI in the detention.[2][9][1] And later in 2017 he moved back to Netherlands[10] where has been living since 2007.[11][12]

In March 2017 he was accused of blasphemy by Salman Shahid, associated with Islamabad's Red Mosque.[13] The blasphemy charge was proven false.[14]

Attack and murder attempt in Netherlands

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Goraya and his family have been threatened multiple times to silence him.[15] Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Amnesty International has condemned threatening families to silence activists, especially Goraya.[16][17]

In February 2020, Goraya was attacked and threatened by two men outside his home in Rotterdam[3]

In February 2021, Goraya was moved out of his residence but Dutch Police citing threats to his life.[18]

In June 2021 a British-Pakistani Muhammad Gohir Khan was charged by Crown Prosecution Service with one count conspiracy to murder of Ahmad Waqass Goraya[19] and found guilty in January 2022 [20] Muhammad Gohir Khan was sentenced to life imprisonment on 11 March 2022 with 13 years minimum time to serve.[21]“The charge was that between the 16th day of February 2021 and the 24th day of June 2021” Khan conspired to Murder Ahmad Waqass Goraya in connivance with unknown persons.[18]

In January 2022 the Crown Prosecution Service revealed that Pakistani Intelligence Services hired Muhammad Gohir Khan to kill Goraya by offering £100,000.[22][23][24]

Muhammad Gohir Khan, a UK based Pakistani living in East London, formerly ran a cargo company Worldwide Cargo Services, and was in debt for £200,000.[7] He was contacted through a handler Muzamil, who would have received £20,000 as his cut.[25] Detectives uncovered thousands of messages between Khan and ‘Mudz - also referred to as ‘Ali’ ‘Zed’ and ‘Papa’ - detailing plans for the murder.[21] Muzamil managed to deposit £5000 in a Pakistani bank account of a person named Muhammad Amin Asif.[26] The money was to laundered using the illegal Hundi channel starting with a deposit in Pakistani private bank.[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Pakistan activist Waqass Goraya: The state tortured me". BBC News. 9 March 2017.
  2. ^ a b Nazish, Kiran (2018-03-27). "Pakistan's military is waging a quiet war on journalists". Vox. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  3. ^ a b c "Pakistani blogger in forced exile attacked, threatened outside his Rotterdam home | Reporters without borders". 6 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Pakistani Blogger Tells VOA of Captivity Perils". VOA. 4 March 2017. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  5. ^ Inam, Tazeen (2022-01-27). "A victim of torture, blogger continues fight for human rights in Pakistan". New Canadian Media. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  6. ^ "Pakistan relief after abducted journalist Gul Bukhari is freed". BBC News. 2018-06-06. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  7. ^ a b British 'hitman' found guilty of plotting to kill Pakistani activist, By Secunder Kermani BBC News, Islamabad, Jan 28, 2022
  8. ^ a b "Digital Activists Are Disappearing in Pakistan". Global Voices Advox. 2017-01-12. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  9. ^ "Exile Not Always Guarantee of Safety for Pakistani Journalists". VOA. 4 April 2020. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  10. ^ Rehman, Atika (19 July 2021). "British-Pakistani charged with plot to murder exiled blogger". Dawn.com.
  11. ^ "Man charged in London with plotting to murder Pakistani blogger in Netherlands | RSF". rsf.org.
  12. ^ "Man charged in London with plotting to murder Pakistani blogger in Netherlands | Reporters without borders". RSF. 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  13. ^ Blasphemy charges create climate of fear for Pakistani media By KATHY GANNON, AP News, March 18, 2017
  14. ^ No evidence found against bloggers accused of blasphemy, FIA tells court, Dawn, December 23, 2017
  15. ^ Quint, The (2018-06-22). "Pakistani Blogger Alleges ISI Threatened His Family to Silence Him". TheQuint. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  16. ^ PakistanToday. "Threatening activist's family a cowardly act: HRCP | Pakistan Today". Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  17. ^ "Pakistan: Enduring Enforced Disappearances". Amnesty International. 2019-03-27. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  18. ^ a b "British-Pakistani accused of conspiracy to kill exiled blogger - Henry Club". 19 July 2021. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  19. ^ "British-Pakistani man charged with murder conspiracy in Netherlands".
  20. ^ "UK jury declares British-Pakistani man guilty in plot to kill blogger Ahmad Waqass Goraya". 28 January 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Former east London businessman jailed for life for murder conspiracy". Mynewsdesk. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  22. ^ Stephens, Max (13 January 2022). "Pakistani intelligence services offered UK hitman £100,000 to kill dissident blogger, court told". The Telegraph.
  23. ^ "London 'hitman' on trial over plot to kill Pakistani activist in Netherlands". BBC News. 13 January 2022.
  24. ^ "Details of 'plot to kill exiled blogger' emerge during UK trial". 14 January 2022.
  25. ^ Rehman, Atika (2022-01-20). "UK murder plot trial: spotlight on 'hitman', middleman relationship". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  26. ^ "Assassination bid of blogger: Funds laundered to hitman via Hundi from Pakistan". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  27. ^ Assassination bid of blogger: Funds laundered to hitman via Hundi from Pakistan
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