FED said that they are extremely concerned about the safety of the rights defender and called on the Pakistani government to revoke the First Information Report (FIR) filed against Ismail and all other charges.
They also demanded that the government guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Gulalai Ismail and her family in Pakistan.
Moreover, the government should guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Pakistan are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
Gulalai Ismail, along with many other human rights defenders and members of the public had recently spoken out against the abduction, rape, and murder of a 10-year old girl, whose body was discovered on 21 May.
Front Line Defenders believe that Gulalai was being ‘targeted’ for her advocacy in the case.
According to media reports, however, an FIR was registered against the PTM leader after she uttered ‘anti-state and anti-Army’ remarks during a protest demanding justice for Farishta in Islamabad.
On 15 May 2019, a 10-year old girl went missing near her home in Islamabad.
Even though her parents reported her missing that day, it took four days for police to register an FIR on the disappearance and even then a proper search was not launched.
Her body was found in a forest on 21 May, leading to public outrage and protest.