year after his abduction by intelligence activists calling on it to stop the demolitions. agencies. There were also reports of some anti- In June, a bill proposing amendments to the demolition organizers being abducted or Pakistan Criminal Penal Code to criminalize arrested. enforced disappearances was presented before parliament by the Ministry of Human WORKERS’ RIGHTS Rights. It was sent to the Standing Committee The Senate Standing Committee on Human on Interior in the National Assembly, which Rights unanimously approved the Islamabad sent problematic feedback distinguishing Capital Territory Domestic Workers Bill 2021, between a “legal” and “unlawful” which ensures protection and welfare, disappearance. The most recent amendment including set working hours, entitlement to bill did not meet the minimum requirements leave and a minimum wage for domestic of international law. Civil society groups staff. The sector was previously almost reported that they had not been consulted on entirely unregulated, leaving domestic the proposed bill. Just weeks after the bill workers with little to no protection against was presented, political activist Seengar abuse. Noonari was abducted by law enforcement RIGHT TO HEALTH agencies for protesting against alleged illegal land grabs. He was released without charge Covid-19 remained a serious concern in and returned to his family after a five-week Pakistan’s overcrowded prisons. The disappearance. provincial government of Sindh released 64 Younis Anwar, general secretary of the prisoners as a preventative measure, but Gwadar Fisherfolk Alliance, was abducted appeared to be the only province to do so. allegedly by security agencies in August, days Prison authorities in Punjab and Khyber before protests were held in Islamabad by Pakhtunkhwa stopped reporting infection families of victims of enforced numbers in prisons. disappearance. Pakistan’s Covid-19 vaccine uptake was In December, there were unconfirmed bolstered by penalties for the unvaccinated in reports of Idris Khattak being declared guilty August, including blocked cell phone service, of espionage after a secret trial by a military and barred access to most public spaces and court. He had been abducted by state public transport. Access to vaccines was authorities in November 2019 and remained subject to vaccine availability which, owing to imprisoned in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi. His donations from China and the COVAX family had no information about the status of initiative, remained steady. Vaccines were his case or sentencing. reportedly administered to prisoners as a Also in December, Prime Minister Khan met priority group. with the family of missing journalist Mudassar Naru after a vigorous online campaign, and REFUGEES’ AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS ordered a “complete report” of his After the fall of the Afghan capital, Kabul, in whereabouts. August, thousands of Afghan people fled to FORCED EVICTIONS Pakistan to escape the newly-installed Taliban regime. More than 2,400 people were Thousands were left homeless in the city of illegally deported back to Afghanistan, Karachi after houses in the Gujjar Nala according to media reports, although the neighbourhood were razed by the Karachi authorities did grant some visas to legally exit Metropolitan Corporation. The state offered the country. Authorities cited a lack of no resettlement plan nor compensation, and additional capacity in existing refugee camps, media reports estimated that the forced and Pakistan’s national security adviser evictions put 21,000 children out of school. stated at a press conference that “Pakistan is The Supreme Court rejected a petition from in no condition to accept any more refugees”. Amnesty International Report 2021/22 289