Ahmad Waqass Goraya Explained

Ahmad Waqass Goraya
Birth Place:Pakistan
Nationality:Pakistani
Citizenship:Netherlands
Occupation:Activist, Blogger
Known For:Critic 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 and threatened.[3] They include Salman Haider,[4] Gul Bukhari,[5] and others.[6]

Abduction, blasphemy charge and torture

In January 2017 Goraya became victim of enforced disappearance[7] along with five other bloggers and were released after several weeks. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39219307 He was abducted from Lahore on January 4, 2017. He and other activists were tortured by Pakistani intelligence agency ISI in the detention.[8] And later in 2017 he moved back to Netherlands[9] where has been living since 2007.[10] [11]

In March 2017 he was accused of blasphemy by Salman Shahid, associated with Islamabad's Red Mosque.[12] The blasphemy charge was proven false.[13]

Attack and murder attempt in Netherlands

Goraya and his family have been threatened multiple times to silence him.[14] Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Amnesty International has condemned threatening families to silence activists, especially Goraya.[15] [16]

In February 2020, Goraya was attacked and threatened by two men outside his home in Rotterdam[17]

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.

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. 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]

Notes and References

  1. News: Pakistan activist Waqass Goraya: The state tortured me. BBC News. 9 March 2017.
  2. Web site: Nazish . Kiran . 2018-03-27 . Pakistan's military is waging a quiet war on journalists . 2022-03-13 . Vox . en.
  3. Web site: Pakistani Blogger Tells VOA of Captivity Perils . 2022-03-13 . VOA . 4 March 2017 . en.
  4. Web site: Inam . Tazeen . 2022-01-27 . A victim of torture, blogger continues fight for human rights in Pakistan . 2022-03-13 . New Canadian Media . en-US.
  5. News: 2018-06-06 . Pakistan relief after abducted journalist Gul Bukhari is freed . en-GB . BBC News . 2022-03-13.
  6. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-60157677 British 'hitman' found guilty of plotting to kill Pakistani activist, By Secunder Kermani BBC News, Islamabad, Jan 28, 2022
  7. Web site: 2017-01-12 . Digital Activists Are Disappearing in Pakistan . 2022-03-13 . Global Voices Advox . en.
  8. Web site: Exile Not Always Guarantee of Safety for Pakistani Journalists . 2022-03-13 . VOA . 4 April 2020 . en.
  9. News: British-Pakistani charged with plot to murder exiled blogger. Dawn.com . 19 July 2021 . Rehman . Atika .
  10. Web site: Man charged in London with plotting to murder Pakistani blogger in Netherlands RSF . rsf.org . en.
  11. Web site: 2021-07-20 . Man charged in London with plotting to murder Pakistani blogger in Netherlands Reporters without borders . 2022-03-13 . RSF . en.
  12. https://apnews.com/article/islamabad-ap-top-news-pakistan-international-news-asia-pacific-767fe3b15a9b413b88bb459d24e42b45 Blasphemy charges create climate of fear for Pakistani media By KATHY GANNON, AP News, March 18, 2017
  13. https://www.dawn.com/news/1378262 No evidence found against bloggers accused of blasphemy, FIA tells court, Dawn, December 23, 2017
  14. Web site: Quint . The . 2018-06-22 . Pakistani Blogger Alleges ISI Threatened His Family to Silence Him . 2022-03-13 . TheQuint . en.
  15. Web site: PakistanToday . Threatening activist's family a cowardly act: HRCP Pakistan Today . 2022-03-13 . en-GB.
  16. Web site: 2019-03-27 . Pakistan: Enduring Enforced Disappearances . 2022-03-13 . Amnesty International . en.
  17. Web site: Pakistani blogger in forced exile attacked, threatened outside his Rotterdam home | Reporters without borders. 6 February 2020.
  18. Web site: British-Pakistani accused of conspiracy to kill exiled blogger - Henry Club . 19 July 2021 . 2022-03-13 . en-US.
  19. Web site: British-Pakistani man charged with murder conspiracy in Netherlands.
  20. Web site: UK jury declares British-Pakistani man guilty in plot to kill blogger Ahmad Waqass Goraya. 28 January 2022 .
  21. Web site: Former east London businessman jailed for life for murder conspiracy . 2022-03-13 . Mynewsdesk . en.
  22. News: Pakistani intelligence services offered UK hitman £100,000 to kill dissident blogger, court told. The Telegraph. 13 January 2022. Stephens. Max.
  23. News: London 'hitman' on trial over plot to kill Pakistani activist in Netherlands. BBC News. 13 January 2022.
  24. Web site: Details of 'plot to kill exiled blogger' emerge during UK trial. 14 January 2022.
  25. Web site: Rehman . Atika . 2022-01-20 . UK murder plot trial: spotlight on 'hitman', middleman relationship . 2022-03-13 . DAWN.COM . en.
  26. Web site: Assassination bid of blogger: Funds laundered to hitman via Hundi from Pakistan . 2022-03-13 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  27. https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/926136-assassination-bid-of-blogger-funds-laundered-to-hitman-via-hundi-from-pakistan Assassination bid of blogger: Funds laundered to hitman via Hundi from Pakistan

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Ahmad Waqass Goraya".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.