On Saturday, 28th May 2022, the official book launch of ‘Refusing to Disappear’ took place at National Press Club, Islamabad.
The event was organized by Defense of Human Rights Pakistan, headed by Mrs Amina Masood Janjua and her daughter, Aishah Masood Janjua. Mrs Janjua’s husband Masood Janjua has been forcibly disappeared since 2005, yet instead of remaining a victim, she has become a renowned activist as well as the most well-heard voice for missing persons across Pakistan and globally.
The event was attended by journalists, activists, lawyers and other families of forcibly disappeared persons.
Some renowned names present were Advocate Iman Mazari, Advocate Umer Gilani (lawyer of Sajid Mehmood’s case), Journalist Matiullah Jan, Journalist Asad Ali Toor, and Activist Talia Khattak.
The launch commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Hanaa Sajid, the youngest daughter of forcibly disappeared Sajid Mehmood. She recited Surah Al Burooj and its translation, befitting the event.
This was followed by an introduction from Mrs Amina Janjua, who summarized the situation regarding enforced disappearances, updated the participants about recent developments and shared her thoughts on the book.
After Mrs Janjua, the author of Refusing to Disappear, Aymun Sajid, shared the reasons of why she wrote the diary and gave an insight into the daily struggles of forcibly disappeared person’s families. A passage from the book was also presented and read aloud.
Following Aymun, the family’s lawyer Advocate Umer Gilani, who is also a writer, shared his thoughts. He gave a literary review of the book and shared some possible legal solutions for enforced disappearances. Mr. Gilani has been presenting Sajid’s Mehmood’s case in the Islamabad High Court all these six years, receiving a landmark judgement in the process.
Sajid Mehmood’s eldest daughter, Haadiya, also shared her thoughts on the occasion in simple yet powerful words.
Advocate Iman Mazari and Activist Talia Khattak also spoke and endorsed the book.
A Q&A session was also held and journalists put forward their queries to the panel.
After the remarks were over, participants generously showed their support by buying the book which was available at the venue and receiving the author’s signature.
A banner with QR codes to Amnesty International’s petition for the release of Sajid Mehmood and the Refusing To Disappear website was also used by the participants.
The gathering of professionals and common citizens alike at this event proves that awareness and activism against the heinous crime of Enforced Disappearances in Pakistan is only increasing. After the event, there was also an overwhelming positive social media response with hundreds of shares and tweets. The author and her family were overwhelmed by generous reaction, and they would like to express their sincere gratitude to all those who participated in person and online.
We hope that this campaign brings hope and benefit to all forcibly disappeared person’s families across Pakistan and conveys the whole truth to those in power.
This is just the beginning.
Join the campaign by signing the petition for the release of Sajid Mehmood.
Find links for buying the book and supporting the campaign here: https://linktr.ee/reftd
Download and share the following poster alongside the links on WhatsApp / Twitter / Instagram / any other social media:
refusing to disappear 
Leave a comment