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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]
Ahmad Waqass Goraya | |
|---|---|
| Born | Pakistan |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Citizenship | Netherlands |
| Occupation(s) | Activist, Blogger |
| Known for | Critic of Pakistan Army, Victim of enforced disappearance, Abduction, Torture, Threats, Attempted murder |
In January 2017 Goraya became victim of enforced disappearance[8] along with five other bloggers and were released after several weeks. 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]
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]
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